


Drawn

by Jessig



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alchemy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Blood Drinking, Blood Magic, Boys Kissing, Chains, Confinement, Demons, Dubious Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, Forced Bonding, Forced Relationship, Light BDSM, M/M, Magic, Mpreg, Post-Apocalypse, Romance, Rope Bondage, Sex Magic, Soldiers, Tranquilizers, Urban Fantasy, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-19 18:30:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 31,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1479712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jessig/pseuds/Jessig
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>War has made humans an endangered species. The remaining people are still at war and refuse to stop. </p><p>Harley, an urban alchemist for hire, is looking for a Core - a person with the ability to center, stabilize, and enhance magical abilities. But with people in such short supply, especially magically gifted individuals, Harley is hard pressed to find someone with this qualification. He spends his nights hunting for people who could possibly be this mythical Core. </p><p>Luck and fate brings him Jonas, a refugee from the Northern Territory. While Jonas is the Core Harley has been searching for, it will take more than Harley is prepared for to have Jonas undergo the Drawing - binding themselves to each other for eternity. However, neither of them may have a choice when the war and a trickster looms right in front of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> This is an on-going work. Edits and changes will be added as necessary. I am not a professional writer and have no desire to be. I'm just writing for fun. Good c/c is always appreciated. Spam or hostile comments will be deleted.

            Still. A prone body lying on the vacant sidewalk, immobile except for a slight racking breath that shook ribs and cloth. Still. No wind. No clouds. Not even a bird chirping or a roach scuttling seemed to break the extreme calm. Just a wheezing breath. It was almost as if a vortex had surrounded the area with an impenetrable force of quiet so no one could miss the rasping, sucking, gasp of someone with hardly any life in them.

 

 

            _Take your opportunities when they come_. Harley knew to take advantage of such an easy target. They didn’t come often. A person not fighting him and quiet to boot. Harley chuckled at his absurd fortune. Extracting an empty syringe from the inside pocket of his black leather jacket, Harley made his way to the still body. Luck truly was favoring him. This stranger was weak to be sprawled on such a dirty sidewalk, but he was _alive_. Harley couldn’t do this with someone who was dead. Targets this quiet were usually useless corpses.

            Harley knelt next to the stranger, pulling up the still man’s sleeve. He tapped for a moment on the man’s arm, looking for the easiest vein to pull from. Finding a strong vein, Harley plunged the needle in, sucking out a full vial of deep crimson blood. Using the stranger’s sleeve, he pressed the puncture to stop the bleeding but thought better of it. This guy was pretty well knocked out. Might as well get everything he could while the getting was good. Harley pulled the sleeve up again, plunging in a new needle and taking four more vials of blood.

            Satisfied that the guy wasn’t too drained to never wake again, Harley wrapped his vials in a protective cloth, placing them in another inner pocket. The warmth from the blood in the glass radiated into his skin. Not a bad haul for not actively hunting tonight.

            “Poor sap,” Harley murmured. Now that he had what he needed, Harley had no intent or reason to stick around. But usually he at least got a good look at his prey. _What the hell._ Harley shoved the guy onto his back. The least he could do was push the guy into an alley or something until he recovered. Maybe give the guy a chance of not being mugged or killed. If he proved to be useful, Harley would prefer him alive rather than dead. Made collecting new samples that much easier when your target was still in the realm of the living.

            Once turned over, Harley grabbed the guy by the armpits, dragging him behind an alley trashcan. The guy’s feet stuck out, but that was the best Harley could do without contorting him. Harley took a moment to study the guy in case he needed to track him down in the future. Pretty generic in looks. Could easily be confused with hundreds of other people. The stranger had ear-length brown hair, straight as could be. He must have manicured his eyebrows. They were far too well sculpted to be natural. He had a light smattering of freckles across his cheeks. He must have been around Harley’s height and weight, maybe a little less, because Harley had not had too much trouble moving him. About the only thing that stood out about this man was the nose stud and cartilage piercing. Even so, the jewelry was fairly non-descript.

            Harley bent down and picked through the man’s jeans’ pockets, looking for some type of identification. He came up empty.

            “Well, let’s hope I don’t need your name to find you,” he muttered. “Saying I _need_ to find you.” Harley shook his head, blonde locks flapping as he moved. He briefly considered taking the guy back with him but knew it was probably useless. More than likely this would also be a bust.

            “See you later.” A quick wave to the knocked out stranger and Harley was off again.

 

 

*************

 

 

 

 

Carefully extracting the vials from his pocket, Harley took the wrapped set of samples and placed them on the counter. He’d have time to test them in the morning. This was supposed to be a night of freedom and relaxation. He thought taking a short walk would help him feel calmer. But the thrill of having a new specimen to examine was getting him worked up.

            Harley set himself to tidying up a bit before trying to sleep. What had once been a well-to-do, upscale hospital, was now nothing more than another gutted out building. The only thing that made it special was that Harley called it home. There were plenty of other places he could have taken up residence, but the old hospital had a few unique surprises that made it worth sticking around. Without exploring the place and really moving things around, Harley would never have discovered the store of fresh, clean syringes and vials locked away in a storage room. The room had held numbers of treasures, useless to most humans but undeniably useful for him.

            The hospital lacked any technology now. Microscopes, computers – even lights – had all been scrapped or torn apart for metals. However, the vast majority of old-fashioned tools had largely been left alone. After careful gathering of the fragile items, Harley had amassed quite an impressive collection of medical and scientific implements. He had no electronics to study them but he was no scientist anyway. His tests didn’t require fancy equipment or machines.

            Harley’s heart thudded excitedly as he moved around, trying to pick up things that had fallen over with the last round of frustrating tests. He had worked himself into a frenzy so badly last time that he had destroyed much of the space he had called his room. Luckily, nothing was too valuable. Anything broken was nothing he needed to replace. And replacements were hard to come by since the last round of invasions. Luckily, no soldiers had tried to infiltrate the hospital. Since the city had remained largely unoccupied over the last decade, they most likely assumed anything valuable was already gone. And Harley liked it that way. No one bothered him as he worked because of it.

           After making a pile of broken glass and wood in an outer hallway. Harley moved back into his bedroom space, still fixated on those vials every time he moved around. Realization smacked him in the head quickly though. Every other attempt had been a failure. There was really no reason to hope that his tests would be successful this time. But any time Harley came across a man like the one he had tonight, he had to get a sample. The population was dwindling as it was due to war and resources. But it was made all the more worse due to the Northern Territory’s terrible ploy to win at all costs.

            When the Northern Territory and Lower Territory had reached a stalemate, the Northerns decided to release a virus to help turn the tide. The virus was created for the sole purpose of complete extermination. It did its job beautifully.

            Millions died on both sides due to it. Northerns and Lowers all succumbed to it. Only a handful had a strange resistance that allowed them to survive. This group gave rise to the current people of the world. And as human err caused the world to begin war, it continued on. Instead of making peace after the dreadful virus attack, the two continued at it with grandchildren of the original attack now taking up the mantle of war.  

            So with so few civilians left to work with, Harley had to take what he could get. He couldn’t expend his energy hunting for living targets all the time. A knocked out one was as good as any other.

            Soon, the itch to do his tests became unbearable. Harley snatched the vials off the counter and hurried to another room, one that he had made into a workroom. At one time it was probably a kitchen. It had the remains of a gas line and what appeared to be cupboards with badly chipped paint. Harley wanted it for the storage and the tile floors. He could easily clean up his spills, some of which that were not the most delightful.

            In the center of the floor, Harley had hacked away at the tiles to create a small crater. The crater held wood for fire, which Harley lit immediately; a string and hanger contraption of Harley’s own design dangled pots and kettles above it. Harley wouldn’t need the pot today though.

            In a cupboard, he pulled out a clean beaker and pair of kitchen tongs. With no proper tongs for holding a fragile beaker, this was the best he could do. He had managed to warm the handles so that they curved smoothly around the round edges of the beaker. Uncorking a vial, Harley poured all of the bloody contents into the beaker and grabbed the beaker with the tongs. He took an old oven mitt, covering the hand that would have to hold the tongs over the fire. Gently swishing the red liquid back and forth, Harley let it boil until the metallic smell wafted throughout the kitchen.

            By this point, the blood was now thick having lost much of its water content. Harley placed the hot beaker on the wooden counter, letting it cool for a moment. He repeated the process until the blood had become dry and hard. Once fully cooled, he reached in to touch the powdery red substance. Carefully, he began to draw a series of symbols with the powder, letting the red streaks pronounce themselves boldly against the dirty white tiles. Once he finished writing what looked like a paragraph of incomprehensible symbols, Harley stood over his work.

            Silently praying to an unknown god that this would be the time that he would finally find what he was looking for, he took a small satchel from his jeans’ pocket. Trembling with anticipation, he dug in the satchel for a handful of the black sand-like powder contained within. Taking a deep breath, Harley murmured words to activate the spell and tossed the sprinkles of black over the crimson writing.

            Nothing happened. Harley waited. He waited for what felt like at least an hour, just holding his breath. About ready to spit in disgust and go through a whole new frenzy of tantrums, Harley noticed a small movement from the corner of his eye. Ever so slowly, the black sands moved like being drawn to a magnet. The red of the symbols on the floor became increasingly blacker, the sands attaching themselves to the powdered blood.

            Harley couldn’t contain his smile. Before long, the symbols were incased in black. Harley bent down and tried to sweep the black away. As soon as he moved a clump of black and red to the side, it slung itself back into its place, the symbol wanting to stay bound to the floor. Harley playfully kicked at the entire paragraph, laughing as it all crawled back into position.

 _Thank the gods who care enough to help me!_ Harley laughed as he ran out of the kitchen. Now he had to hope to hell the guy was still knocked out in the alley or at least hadn’t gotten far.


	2. II

           It felt like someone had knocked the wind out of him by the time Harley made it back to the alleyway where he’d left the guy. He had run harder than he could remember. Maybe the only other time he had exerted himself so much was when he was a kid trying to get away from some Northern soldiers. The memory made him temporarily stop and shudder, but he let it go for now. A much more important task lay at hand, much more critical than rehashing old memories that could not be erased or changed.

            Sliding to a stop on the sidewalk, Harley flung himself into the alley, dashing towards the row of trashcans that he had drug the guy behind. When Harley didn’t see the man’s feet sticking out, his heart began to beat even harder. If this kept up, his heart would give out on him. Dread started filling his stomach. He really should have just picked the guy up and taken him back to the hospital.

            _But every time it’s been a bust. You might have expended all that energy for nothing._

 _But it wasn’t_ nothing _! This time was different!_

Harley’s feet ground to a halt as he came to the last trash can. His breath caught in his throat, not sure if he was about to be extremely relieved or infinitely disappointed. Heart hammering, he took the final step so he could see around the garbage.

            Relief instantly flooded him. The guy must have moved while knocked out or maybe someone tried to mug him but came up empty. The guy had no wallet anyway. Either way, he was definitely not in the same sitting position that Harley had left him in. Now he was slumped on his back with his knees crooked, feet flat on the ground, arms tangled behind his head. There were no marks from being attacked. Whoever tried to rob him knew pretty quickly that this guy was out. No use bothering hitting a guy who was already down.

            The adrenaline surged again at Harley’s excitement. Now that the fear of his target disappearing was gone, he instantly felt giddy and quickly swooped down to pick up the man.

            _Too light…_

            Harley could feel the guy’s ribs as he hauled him over his shoulder in a fireman’s handle. Once he woke the guy, he’d have to make sure he got enough nutrients back in his system. Harley didn’t have the best food, but he made do with what he could scavenge. When Harley had found the hospital, he really hoped they would have some kind of store of food hidden. However, it had already been scavenged by the time he arrived. So with no luck there, Harley made do with what he could find.

            The trek back to the hospital was longer because of the extra weight and walking instead of running. Harley had to stop twice to put the guy down. Harley was by no means a stick, but he didn’t exactly have fully fleshed-out muscles either. In his line of work, he had no need to be buff. Groaning, Harley picked the guy back up a final time to make the final distance to the hospital. He heard the guy whimper when he had him back over his shoulder. Harley hurried now. He didn’t really intend for the guy to wake up hanging upside down while being carried away. Somehow, Harley felt like that wouldn’t be the best introduction. Granted, his introduction so far was pretty lousy. Harley wasn’t quite sure how he was supposed to explain all of this to him.

            _Oh, hey! Yeah, I just saw you passed out on the sidewalk. Took some of your blood and threw you in a dirty alley. Now I’m hauling you back home to be tested some more. No big deal!_

            Well, there was nothing Harley could do now. Even if the guy resented the circumstances, now that Harley had found what he was searching for, he couldn’t just let him go. And if he did, there was the possibility that eventually this guy would be found by someone else with much more sinister intentions. Or even worse, it could be a squadron.

            With a sigh of relief, Harley found the hidden opening to his area of the hospital, the area he had made into somewhat of a home. He plunked the unconscious man down on his mattress. The guy made a small sound but didn’t wake. Since the time Harley initially found him, it had to have been at least six hours. It was probably best if Harley woke him. A few taps and shakes did nothing. Although, Harley chastised himself, he should have figured considering he carried the guy all the way here, bumping and bouncing, that he was out pretty damn good. Harley wanted to growl but huffed instead. He left his bedroom for his workroom. Surely, he could whip up a drought or sniffer that would wake the guy right up. Harley needed him awake. He needed to make sure this was the real deal.

            While the initial test was positive, he had to have the guy focused and alert in order to double check his findings. Without the man being conscious, there was nothing Harley could do to probe his mind and body. Harley had found when he was younger, that sleeping individuals were often confused about whom or what they were as they dreamed. This translated into misinformation if one were to try and glean anything truthful about a person.

            As he entered the old kitchen, now workroom, he swung open a few cabinets, gathering up a few – to be honest – quite noxious ingredients. One stunk so horribly when he opened the jar that he had to hold his breath. He only needed a pinch of the horrible smelling paste inside. Still, it felt like an eternity as he scraped a tiny bit from the jar and resealed it. The paste went into a small bowl. On top of the foul goop, Harley placed a few seed-like pods that smelled strangely of bad men’s cologne. He then poured in about a quarter cup of a cloudy, purple liquid that reeked like rotten fish.

            Gasping for air. Harley quickly combined the three ingredients with a wooden stick, mixing them until they made a quite pungent aroma that was somehow worse than when he started. If this didn’t wake his knocked out friend up, nothing would.

            Stepping back into the bedroom, Harley took the aromatic bowl and wafted it under the man’s nose. Instantly, the man’s nose crinkled and his lips pulled back over his teeth and gums. Then a hacking cough erupted from the man’s lungs as his eyes burst open. Harley jumped back as the guy turned onto his side and threw up on Harley’s shoes.

            “Oh, that’s attractive,” Harley groaned. So much for those shoes.

            “What… the hell…” the guy choked between coughs and spittle.

            Harley kicked off the filthy shoes and turned back to the man as he tried not to continue to gag. Harley might have felt sorry for doing that if he didn’t need the man to wake up so badly.

            “Well, that was some introduction,” Harley mumbled, stifling a sarcastic laugh as he knelt on the mattress.

“What the fuck,” the man coughed. “did you do?”

“You wouldn’t wake up. So I got you up.” Harley shrugged.

“With what?”

“A sniffer made of sporamlin seeds, skunk odor, and raccoon dung.”

“What? Why the hell do you have _that_ shit?” The guy was furious but lacked bite in his voice. He was still trying to not heave again.

“All of it is necessary if you want to concoct the right spell.” Harley said matter-of-factly.

“Spell?” The guy hiccoughed.

“Yes,” Harley nodded. “You haven’t run into an alchemist before, have you?”

“No,” the guy shook his head and heaved a bit of bile onto the floor. Harley huffed and shuffled to the canteen to grab water. Luckily, he had refilled it the day before.

“I thought alchemists only worked for the armies,” the guy muttered as he tried to wipe his lips with an edge of the mattress cover. Harley shook his head and handed the guy a glass he had filled from the canteen.

“Some do,” Harley nodded gravely. His eyes hardened. “But I’m not one of them.”

“Never suspected you,” the guy gurgled with the water to wash out his mouth.

“Good.”

“So where the fuck am I?” the guy started to look around the room with suspicious eyes.

“Let’s start with who the fuck you _are_ ,” Harley jostled back. His tone became lighter and friendlier when he saw the guy start to have a worried line crease his brow.

“Jonas,” the guy said as he continued to search the room, turning his head ever so slowly to take in every detail.

            “Did you kidnap me?” Jonas said in disbelief.

            “That’s such a strong word,” Harley picked at his fingernails. “I found you and brought you here. Your ass was knocked out on the sidewalk.”

            “Shit, you serious?” Jonas gasped and then groaned.

            “No reason to lie to you,” Harley crossed his heart.

            “That ass must have hit me pretty damn hard then,” Jonas mumbled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to inconvenience you.”

            “Not at all actually,” Harley smirked. Jonas looked at him strangely when he saw Harley’s lips turn up.

            “You look like you’re more than a Good Samaritan,” Jonas growled.

            “Eh, probably.”

            “Probably?”

            “Definitely.”

            “What the hell do you want?”

            “To run a test,” Harley told him blatantly.

            “Don’t woo anybody too much before you cut to the chase do you?” Jonas bit back.

            “No reason to,” Harley said again. “I helped you but I need something from you.” 


	3. III

            “What?” Jonas started to get up and spoke warily. No good ever came from someone asking him to give something. Too many times that line ended up bringing him pain or humiliation.

            “I just need you to hold my hand,” Harley smiled.

            “I’m sorry?” Jonas wasn’t sure if he heard right.

            “Hold my hand,” Harley repeated slowly. “I’m Harley, by the way.”

            “Look, I…” Jonas’s voice cracked. “I mean… I just… What? I’m so confused.”

            “Hold. My. Hand.” Harley punctuated the words this time.

            Everything in Jonas told him that was a mistake.

            _He saved me, I suppose. He may get some kind of sick kick from holding a stranger’s hand. But I guess I can give him that._

            Cautiously, Jonas sat down and reached his hand out slowly. Harley’s grin got bigger. He reached quickly for Jonas’s hand and grasped it firmly. He then took the other hand, threading his fingers through both. Jonas blushed, clearly confused and shocked by Harley’s strange behavior. His freckles darkened and he squinted his eyes shut.

            “Look into my eyes,” Harley whispered with his big smile.

            “What? Why?” Jonas squeaked.

            “Just for a minute.”

            Jonas looked up.

            “I don’t know what you’re doing…” Jonas was cut off when he felt a sharp stab at the back of his skull. Harley’s pale blue eyes locked onto Jonas’ gray ones as if reading him like a thriller novel. The smile never left Harley’s lips.

            Jonas was scared. Scared really wasn’t strong enough of a word. He was downright terrified. This guy must be some kind of psychopath who got his rocks off from holding hands and staring. This could only lead to trouble.

            But as Jonas tried to pull back, he found he could not. The stabbing in his head was now numb. He couldn’t blink, couldn’t break the eye contact. His hands shook but refused to move forwards or backwards. Harley’s fingers threaded tight through his, leaving no room for him to get away even if he wasn’t frozen where he was.

            Jonas tried to open his mouth but no words came out. His breath was shaky and he could only pull a tight, shallow lungful of air into his body.

            Then all at once, he felt released. He slumped onto the mattress, just blinking at the crumbling ceiling. What had happened?

            “Sorry about that,” Harley bent over him, grin still plastered on his golden face, blonde bangs flopping on his brow. “Usually, people don’t mind it too much. You seemed to feel it stronger. But that makes sense since you’re _exactly_ what I was looking for.”

            “And that is?” Jonas growled, feeling like punching the cocky blonde in the face and running for it. But he felt positively drained. While it was scary, Jonas had the sense that Harley had no intention of hurting him. But what on earth did he need _him_ for?

            “A Core,” Harley’s eyes lit up.

            “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jonas growled. “Is this some bullshit alchemist jargon?”

            “Bullshit, no. Alchemist, yes.” Harley traded a shake for a nod. Harley’s grin was gone now, replaced with a thin-lipped grimace.

            “I don’t even want to know what this is.” Jonas stood up abruptly. “I’m leaving.”

            “No, you can’t!” Harley pleaded, grabbing Jonas’s thin arm. “I need you!”

            Jonas scoffed and looked at the man in disbelief. If he didn’t get out now, there was no telling what Harley would do to him. He wouldn’t let history come back to bite him in the ass. Jonas knew better.

            Jonas turned and stormed out of the room, trying to be at least somewhat in control and walk out. When Harley stood up and began to follow, Jonas broke out into a run. _Fuck, self-control. I can’t do this again!_ Now, he chastised himself for not being awake to pay attention when Harley took him in the hospital. As he ran, he sped out of room after room, only to find there was no way out. Windows were either boarded up or too high to reach. Jonas remembered that they entered through a door that was hidden. But it should have been hidden to the outside, not inside. Growing ever more frustrated, Jonas spun and turned down a different hallway. There was set of stairs to his right. He contemplated running up them and barricading the door at the top. But that would be like being trapped in a pen with the lion on the other side of the cage. It may put some distance between them, putting off Harley for a while, but it wouldn’t stop him from getting to him eventually.

            Growling, Jonas ran past the steps and into a long corridor that once connected one side of the hospital to the other. If it had been suspended like a bridge, it would have likely fallen down by now. Luckily for Jonas, it was anchored to the ground. And it had huge windows to let light in.

Quickly, Jonas slammed his body against the glass panes. He was well aware that he would most likely end up mangled by doing this but it was better than suffering whatever Harley had in mind.

            The glass was strong even after all these years. It barely creaked at the edges when Jonas threw himself against it. It wobbled and shuddered but refused to crack. By now, Harley was catching up. Jonas cursed under his breath and continued to run on.

            “Stop!” Harley screeched behind him. “Wait!”

            “Like hell!” Jonas barked back. His feet clattered against broken tiles and curled vinyl floors. He jumped and maneuvered around broken furniture, almost colliding with an old table. Scraping the edge of his hip, Jonas hissed but continued to run, looking back only momentarily to judge the distance between Harley and him.

            Then, suddenly, it felt like the world had fallen out from under him. Jonas’s feet no longer touched ground and he thought he was falling forever. There was a sickening crunch and sharp, nauseating pain. Jonas bit back his cry for as long as he could. He panted when he came to a stop. Blood covered his right leg. Due to the angle, he could tell immediately that he’d broken it. Looking up through teary eyes, he saw that he was much farther down than he had been. But, there were no stairs. A realization came to him as he saw Harley peer over the ragged edges with a grim expression on his face. A sinkhole must have opened up at one time, caving in everything around it. And now Jonas was at the bottom of it, body ground into soft clay and mud, pieces of glass, mirror, and tile littering the floor around him like needles and spikes.

            Jonas tried to move but screamed when his leg drug against the ground. He bit his cheek and tried to stifle his voice. His watery eyes scanned the sides of the hole. It was much too tall with no edges worth climbing. So this is how it ended? Dying in a sinkhole because he was too stupid to look forward? Why had he run? Harley was creepy but goddamn it; now the situation had escalated to much worse. Jonas cursed himself. Impulsiveness had always been a problem for him and now he was learning the hard way.

            “Stay put!” Harley yelled down. “I’m going to get you out!”

            “I can’t fuckin’ move, asshole!” Jonas ground out.

            “Not my fault you can’t look where you’re going!”

            “Not my fault you’re a creepy bastard!”

            “Ok, then stay down there and rot.”

            “No! Fuck!” Jonas gingerly touched his leg. “My leg’s broken.” A tear escaped his eye. No, not like this. Why did he need help from someone he had just tried to get away from? Fate was cruel.

            “Please,” Harley rasped out through gritted teeth, pain and anger at the unjustness of the situation collapsing on him. “Get me out.”

            “Will you promise to hear me out this time?” Harley asked, a bit of worry in his tone.

            “Fuck… I…” Harley glared. “Just fuckin’ help me!”

            “Not until you promise.”

            “Are you serious?” Harley now wanted to just punch the guy. But he breathed slowly through his nostrils and collected himself. “Fine, yes! Just help me. It’s not like I can go gallivanting off with this leg anyway.”

            “Don’t try to move.” Harley nodded. No smile reappeared. At least the freak knew when to get serious. _Somewhat._

           

 

 

 

 

 *****************

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Jonas groaned with pain as Harley resettled him on the hospital mattress in the bedroom. The blood had been mostly from cuts where glass and other debris had collided with his fall into the hole. By now, they had clotted but Harley wrapped them up anyway. Using some old antiseptic, possibly useless by this point but better than nothing, he washed away Jonas’s cuts while Jonas ground his teeth, trying not to scream from the stinging. Harley had to give him some credit. Jonas was doing well considering the circumstances. Harley would have probably been passed out from the pain by now.

            There was no such thing as painkillers anymore. If they had once been a staple of this hospital, scavengers or the army had rooted them out long ago.

            Taking some wood from one of the boarded windows, Harley made a makeshift splint and set Jonas’s leg best he could. He wasn’t a doctor but he did know what a normal leg should look like. Wrapping the boards tightly - maybe too tightly because Jonas squinted out a few tears – Harley positioned his leg on the bed, straight and stiff. Jonas looked absolutely pale and sick to his stomach.

            “Is the pain making you sick?” Harley asked.

            “Yes.” Jonas replied weakly.

            “I can get you some mint. Will that help?”

            It had been forever since Jonas had tasted mint. When he was a child, his mother would dry the leaves and make tea for him when he was sick.

            “Sure.”

            Harley stood up and left quickly. He returned with some beautiful, juicy green leaves.

            “Chew on it.” Harley instructed.

            Jonas gingerly held the leaf to his mouth, barely using his incisors to remove a piece and begin chewing. The coolness of it flooded his mouth, eventually making it to his stomach. When he felt the first cool drops of minty oil, he put another leaf in his mouth and chewed some more. Jonas nodded his thanks to Harley. Harley put that satisfied grin back on his face.

            “Where did you get this?” Jonas ventured to ask.

            “Hospital had a garden courtyard,” Harley responded as he fiddled with the splints for a moment. Jonas growled. Harley had enough sense to look sheepish and stepped back, holding up his hands in defeat, a small smile to reassure he meant no harm.

            “There were tons of herbs still growing in the garden. A few vegetables,” Harley resettled on the edge of the mattress, gently touching the tips of Jonas’s toes, looking for any remaining cuts to the foot or ankle. “For an alchemist, those herbs are priceless. Plus, they make some good natural remedies.” Harley pointed to the leaf still in Jonas’s hand.

            “True,” Jonas agreed. The two sat in what was almost an amiable silence. Some minutes later, Harley broke it.

            “Why did you run from me?”

            “Because you’re bat-shit crazy.”

            “So flattering of you…” Harley winked, not losing his stride. “But for the record, I’m not crazy.”

            “Then what the hell was that that you did to me?”

            “I had a look into your mind.”

            “What?” Jonas spit out a green wad of leaf.

            “There was a part of your mind I needed access to. The pain you felt? That was you reacting to my probe. Only a Core would feel that. Everything I do is magnified thanks to you.”

            “And that’s what you wanted to talk to me about, isn’t it?”

            “Of course.” Harley said it like it was obvious.

            “I don’t understand.” Jonas muttered with his eyes closed, eyebrows creased in frustration. “I was under the impression that alchemists just made potions and conjured shit from vats.”

            “I wouldn’t waste my time conjuring shit. That’s gross.” Harley laughed. Jonas glared. “I can make draughts and stuff. That’s how I make my living. I have some clients who hire me to make various things. Nothing too complicated though. I barter for food and supplies with my spells. But I don’t need a pot and fire to do everything.”

            “Like you reading my mind,” Jonas looked at Harley by his leg.

            “I didn’t _read_ your mind. I looked into it,” Harley corrected. “I can’t hear your thoughts or anything. Just see _who_ you are.”

            “I could have told you that. You didn’t need to violate my brain.”

            Harley shook his blonde bangs. “You couldn’t tell me what I needed to know. Only an alchemist can see when someone is a Core. There’s no way you would have known unless an alchemist had already told you. And I highly doubt that happened because if another alchemist had found you, you would have been bound by the Drawing already.”

            “Drawing?” Jonas was confused. “Stop using all these terms you know I don’t know.”

            “Sorry,” Harley shrugged. “I’m stuck with myself most of the time. I know what I mean.”

            “Well, I don’t.”

            “Gotcha. For me to really utilize your power, I need you to undergo the Drawing. And for that I need your blood over the course of a few weeks.”

            “ _Need_ my blood? You gonna cook it up with some herbs and drink it?” Jonas let out a harsh laugh. Harley winced and lost his smile.

            “Don’t tell me you’re serious.”

            “I’m not going to cook your blood,” Harley drooped his head. “But I… do need to drink it. And you need mine.”

            “Your blood? I have to… _drink…_ ” Jonas felt nauseous again. “No thanks.”

            “It’s not much, I promise.”

            “That really doesn’t reassure me. Not to mention I see no benefit in doing this. What do I get out of it?”

            “My protection,” Harley told him, eyes serious and focused. “I’m bound to protect and care for you at that point.”

            “I don’t need _your_ protection.” Jonas hissed. “I’ve taken care of myself pretty well up until now.”

            “Yeah, like how you were knocked out in the street.” Harley scoffed.

            “That was…” Jonas bit his lip. “That was one time.”

            Jonas winced, hoping Harley would believe that. He really didn’t want to admit how many times he’d been abused, mugged, and violated.

            Jonas wanted to turn away from Harley so badly before the man saw his burning red cheeks. But with his bum leg, he wasn’t going anywhere.

            “If I let you go,” Harley started, eyes still deadly serious - and that scared Jonas more than his smile. “Another alchemist will find you. And I can’t guarantee they won’t be from the army and… hurt you. I can guarantee I won’t hurt you.”

            “And I should trust you, a guy I just met, why?”

            “You really have no reason to,” Harley shrugged. “But I hope you will.”


	4. IV

 

        Jonas was never more grateful in his life to be in a creepy old hospital. Harley had found a pair of crutches in his piles of scavenged materials. He wasn’t moving fast or much, but at least Jonas wasn’t confined to a bed.

        Especially since that bed was uncomfortably shared with Harley. Harley said there was no point in pulling in more mattresses. The ones he had were the cleanest and best kept up, not to mention there was plenty of room in the makeshift bed. It didn’t stop Jonas from being constantly wary that the other man would try to take him in the middle of the night. Harley had proved over the last two weeks that he was no sexual deviant but Jonas’s past kept haunting his thoughts. The only thing that had ever happened to him in a shared bed was painful and disgusting.

        The only comforting thought as he stared at the ceiling in the wee hours of the morning was that Harley had a strong distaste for soldiers. And it had been soldiers that mostly did those horrible things to Jonas.

        Over the course of the weeks, Harley had tried to bring up the matter of the Drawing again. But Jonas refused to let him finish or be swayed by any way Harley put it. He did not want this man’s protection. He was grateful he had bound up his leg but Jonas wouldn’t have been injured if it hadn’t been for Harley chasing him. Once his leg was healed and he was off crutches, he was getting out of there. Harley could find himself another Core.

 

 

 

 *****************

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Harley was getting irritated now. Every time he tried to talk about the Drawing, Jonas cut him off. Didn’t Jonas understand how important this was? Of course not because he would never let Harley finish!

        Harley almost kicked over the kettle by the fire in his workroom as he paced in exasperation. He needed Jonas to see that this was much more than just a boost in power. And he needed Jonas to understand that he really _did_ need Harley’s protection - now more than ever.

        One of Harley’s clients had made a visit two days ago. She arrived with a simple request for some basic healing draughts but also with news. Lower squadrons had located Northern soldiers breaking through the barriers. The Lower alchemist squadron could no longer hold the barrier. The Northerns were coming. If Northern soldiers got a hold of Jonas, there would be no telling what torture they would subject him to. Not to mention he would be forced to undergo the Drawing with whatever alchemist they wanted to pair him with. Harley knew it was unfair to ask Jonas to pair with him but he also knew the alternative was much worse.

        Jonas would not listen willingly. Harley had to make him understand.

        With a kick to the floor, Harley groused under his breath and made his way to where Jonas was sitting by the large windows in the corridor that had led to the sinkhole.

 

        The corridor was pretty much the only source of indoor sunlight. Jonas had taken a shine to it over the past few weeks, spending time just sitting and looking outside. The corridor looked over the courtyard. Jonas could stare at the vibrant growing plants all day. Where he came from, no one had gardens this beautiful and healthy. Jonas had to wonder if Harley was using some alchemy-made concoction to make it grow so well. Or maybe he had a natural green thumb.

        Jonas looked up when he felt Harley’s presence. Harley moved so silently sometimes that Jonas wondered if he was a ghost. But he’d remembered the distinctly solid grip of Harley’s hand around his arm. The blonde was no ghost. Devil maybe. But not a ghost.

        “I need to talk to you,” Harley said quietly. The never-wavering smile on Harley’s face was gone.

        “When don’t you?” Jonas snorted.

        “I’m serious.”

        “You? Serious? That’s a first.” Although Jonas had seen Harley’s serious face before when he had told him about drinking blood. He didn’t want to see it again.

        Harley shifted uncomfortably before plopping down next to Jonas. The lack of smile made Harley look ten years older. But he didn’t look _serious_. Not like he had that time before.

        “Before long we may have to leave.”

        “Who says I’m going with you?”

        “You don’t really have a choice until you can walk on your own.”

        “I can walk on my own.”

        “Only with crutches and not near fast enough.”

        Jonas grimaced and looked down at his broken leg. It was true. If a real emergency arose, he would need help, as much as that pained him to admit.

        “So why do we have to go?” Jonas mumbled, touching the glass pain, leaving fingerprints behind, the smudge caught by the sunlight, almost like a testament to him having been there.

        “My client from Thursday said the soldiers are on their way. I don’t really understand why. This city is useless to them. There are no supplies left that they would want. So this may be a recon mission.”

        “What do you mean?” Jonas asked warily.

        “The way I see it, the only reason the Northerns are coming this way is to look for more bodies to build their ranks.”

        Jonas shuddered. _Dear God, no. I can’t go back to that again._

        “So we need to leave. _Soon_.” Harley punctuated the final word. “And…”

        Harley hesitated. He breathed deep. Jonas stared at his rising chest. Harley wasn’t a muscle head but he was well built. Jonas blushed and looked away. No use thinking anything positive about the guy.

        “I need you to go through with the Drawing.” Harley gripped Jonas’s shoulder tightly. “I’m very serious. I know you don’t want to. I know we don’t know each other that well. But, please, trust me when I say this is for you own good.”

        “My own good?” Jonas barked, pulling away. “I give you enhanced power and just become your puppet?”

        “That’s not it,” Harley glared. “You’re not a puppet. But if you let the Northerns Draw you, you will be.”

        Jonas gulped.

        “Why didn’t you say anything before?” Jonas’s face hardened.

        “Because you wouldn’t let me!” Harley threw up his hands. Jonas gave him a nasty look. Their glares met and neither would break the eye contact.

        Eventually, Jonas smacked him.

        Harley held his reddened cheek, looking shocked.

        “What the hell was that for?”

        “For breaking my leg and making me drink blood.”

        “You haven’t drunk any blood yet!” Harley screeched. “And you broke your own damn leg because you weren’t looking where you were going!”

        Strangely, the smack made both Harley and Jonas feel better. They softened their eyes and visibly calmed, shoulders and arms relaxing.

        Timidly, Harley reached for Jonas’s good knee, putting his hand gently over it, rubbing with his thumb. The touch sent a wave of pleasure down Jonas’s spine.

_No. No. No. He’s just buttering you up._

        “Please,” Harley barely whispered. If Jonas hadn’t been so quiet himself he never would have heard it.

        “Those soldiers…” Jonas whispered as well but with more heat in his voice. “I hate them. I really don’t want to do this… with you. But, I… I can’t be near them again. I’ll do what I have to to stay as far away from them as possible.”

        Harley’s childish smile lit up his face. Jonas grimaced. He started rethinking what he had just said. Before he knew it, though, wet lips were pressed up against his.

        Jonas gnashed his teeth and tried to shove Harley’s intrusion out. But Harley was persistent, eventually working his tongue into Jonas’s mouth, the coppery tang of blood permeating his taste buds. Jonas tried to pull away but Harley had him wrapped good and tight by his strong arms. One large hand held Jonas’s head in place as he worked his tongue and lips all around Jonas’s mouth.

        In an instant, Harley let go.

        As Harley pulled back, Jonas noticed the cut on his lip.

        “Did you just feed me your blood?” Jonas quivered.

        “Thought it would be better that way than putting it in a glass for you.” Harley smirked. Harley’s hand trailed down to Jonas’s wrist, snatching it up. Before Jonas could register what he was doing, Harley had his teeth sunk into the wrist, biting down hard. Jonas yelped and struggled. Harley held fast. How on earth were Harley’s teeth that sharp? It felt like the thickest needles in the world penetrating his skin.

        Harley abruptly let go. Jonas snatched his wrist to his chest, looking scared at the two puncture wounds. Looking up, he noticed Harley’s teeth descending back to normal in his jaw. Harley smiled big.

        “Traded teeth with a demon once,” Harley laughed. “Never thought it would come in handy.”

        Jonas teetered and shook his head. “I don’t want to know.”

        “I’ll tell you about it sometime.”


	5. V

Harley felt sad about leaving his home. He had been in residence there for at least a decade. But he’d leave behind a million homes to keep Jonas near him. Homes could be found again. Cores were much more difficult.

Jonas wouldn’t say anything but Harley could tell he was desperate to get away from the incoming soldiers. And Harley was, too. Harley had enough of his share of run-ins, almost being forcefully recruited into the alchemist squadron once. He would never do that again.

Packing the last of the items, Harley watched as Jonas zipped up his own pack. Jonas would be able to carry his personal pack, Harley thought. But Harley would have to shoulder the major weight until Jonas’s leg healed. Harley had put it in a new splint yesterday, checking to make sure it was healing correctly. When he felt Jonas’s leg, nothing seemed out of place. And the feel of the man’s smooth skin, just a touch of hair, was incredible. Harley could have gone all day stroking that leg, moving his hands up a little farther to get to Jonas’s most private places.

Harley frowned at himself. It must have been too long between fucks for him to be this horny, getting turned on by a leg. But he had to admit Jonas was something to look at. When he had first found him, the dark had obscured all his best features. Now, in the bright sunlight of the June morning, Harley could really see the attractive angles, the cute freckles covering Jonas’s face. He wondered if Jonas would let him touch each of those brown dots.

Smirking at his thoughts of freckles, Harley hoisted the heaviest pack on his shoulder, handing the small, light one to Jonas as Jonas positioned himself on his crutches. Harley took a moment to study his Core. When had he started thinking of Jonas as _his_? Probably from the moment Jonas agreed, albeit reluctantly, to be Drawn.

Harley stepped up to Jonas and drew his face close.

“What?” Jonas asked cautiously, following Harley’s movement of lips and darting eyes. It occurred to Jonas what Harley was about to do a second before Harley had seized him. He would have been bowled over if Harley hadn’t grasped him in time.

Another bloody kiss, similar to the first one he got a week ago, caressed his own lips. Jonas didn’t fight it for long this time. Kissing had become a daily ritual now.

“I think I’d rather take the cup next time,” Jonas spat as their lips disconnected. He wiped the excess blood with his wrist. A streak of red stayed glued to his arm.

Harley bent down and licked the streak off of Jonas’s arm. Jonas grimaced. _Gross_.

“I’m starting to think you traded more than just teeth with that demon,” Jonas yanked his hand away.

“Nah,” Harley backed up, adjusting his pack. “Demons are hard to bargain with. That was the best I could get. Wouldn’t have minded trading for his cock though. That guy was hung like a horse!”

Jonas coughed, his freckles turning bright red.

“Of course I’m not poorly endowed or anything,” Harley followed up.

“Please, stop,” Jonas choked.

“C’mon, like you don’t know what a dick looks like.”

“Yes, but I prefer to keep that knowledge to myself.”

“Your misplaced sense of modesty is pretty cute,” Harley laughed and thumped Jonas on the shoulder a bit too hard. “We need to shove out if we want to find shelter before nightfall. I don’t trust sleeping on the streets or out in the open.”

 

 

 

**************** 

 

 

 

Due to Jonas’s injury, the pair hadn’t made it far by nightfall. However, Harley was impressed with Jonas’s willingness to keep up without complaining. If he started to fall behind, Harley slowed down and helped him along for a while. They decided to shelter in an abandoned motel on the outskirts of town. The rooms were mostly empty, the furniture having been removed long ago, but at least there was roof over their head and a carpeted floor.

Jonas watched as Harley took a pouch from his back jeans’ pocket. Harley sprinkled some black powder on the windowsill and in the crack under the door. He muttered something low, under his breath. With a whoosh of orange light, the powder was gone.

“What was that stuff?” Jonas inquired, trying to take the pack off his back but failing miserably. Harley shuffled it off his shoulder for him, placing it near the corner wall.

“Spell powder,” Harley explained, putting his own brown pack next to Jonas’s red one. “I sealed the windows and the door. It would take another alchemist to blow ‘em in. So any regular soldiers come by, we’ll be safe.”

Harley sprinkled some more powder by tossing it in the air. It lit up like red fireworks and then disappeared.

“So no one can hear us, babe” Harley waggled his eyebrows.

“Uh…” Jonas just dropped his jaw.

“Relax. So _soldiers_ won’t hear us.”

Jonas nodded dumbly.

Harley tugged on Jonas’s arm, urging him to sit down. Harley took the crutches away, setting them askew on the packs and withdrew a blanket to cover the floor. He positioned Jonas, letting him rest on it.

“I figure that’s better than sleeping on this dirty carpet,” Harley explained himself even though there was no need.

Carefully, Harley lit some candles and placed them away from their pallet.

“Can’t create light with your voodoo?” Jonas smirked.

“Just don’t want to be wasteful, limited amount of powder and all. Plus, old fashioned never hurts. And dare I say, it’s… romantic?”

“I wouldn’t dare if I was you.” Jonas pretended to smack his fist into his other hand, trying to give Harley the message.

“I’m not a daredevil,” Harley laughed.

“Then quit pushing it,” Jonas snarled but there was no heat to it.

“I’m not. I’m not,” Harley held up his hands in surrender. “Anyway, we should eat something and then go to sleep.”

“Fine,” Jonas nodded.

            Harley dug a can of vegetables out of the big pack, opening it and heating it quickly with a powderless spell. He handed it and a plastic fork to Jonas. Jonas ate the mixed vegetables without complaint. There was no room for being picky regarding food with the state of things. You ate what was available or you starved.

            As Jonas finished the can, he set it down next to their pallet and looked over at Harley. Harley hadn’t eaten already had he?

            “You have to eat, too, you know.” Jonas rumbled. “Can’t have you passing out on me.”

            “Oh, I will,” Harley smirked. He grabbed the tip of Jonas’s bangs and pulled him forward by his brown locks. Jonas’s head smacked into Harley’s shoulder. Harley pulled Jonas’s collar to the side, exposing a bare shoulder. He used his other hand to hold him still.

            “I’ll have my fill,” Harley smiled into Jonas’s shoulder, speaking with a sensual whisper. Without preamble, he bit into the soft skin. The blood that spilled over was quickly lapped away. Jonas cried out at the sudden puncture. He grit his teeth and tried to put up with the suckling at his shoulder.

Harley took longer than usual this time, drawing more blood than he had before. Jonas had noted that Harley fed a little more each day but today was particularly drawn out.

“You're gonna,” Jonas panted around the piercing pain. “bleed me dry.”

“Not likely,” Harley said around another swallow of blood.

“Then stop!” Jonas squealed. Harley’s fangs let go and he licked up the side of Jonas’s neck, stopping just under his ear. Jonas could have sworn Harley’s eyes glowed yellow for a minute. Maybe it was just the candles.

“How disappointing,” Harley pretended to frown as blood dribbled down his lips. Jonas slid away from him, letting his bum leg trail behind. It hurt when he scooted but he’d rather deal with the pain of that then be bled dry.

“Next time,” Harley wiped away the spillage. “You’ll need to take more yourself. It’s the end of the first week. We have to start preparing for the next phase.”

“Phase? What phase? You didn’t say anything about any phases!” Jonas growled.

“Now that we have exchanged blood, we need to seal it.”

“Seal?” Jonas repeated.

“It’s not painful. I promise. It will just ensure that no one can intercept the process.”

“What do you mean?”

“Until I seal our exchange, any other alchemist could come by and start the process over again, Drawing you to them instead. Do you really want to be stuck with a soldier?”

“No, I suppose not.” Jonas dropped his head. He was already regretting being stuck with this freak.


	6. VI

Jonas stared at his wrists in the silver moonlight. Harley had gone ahead and sealed the blood exchange. It was quick and painless, just like he had said. But Harley, as per usual, forgot to inform Jonas of the mark it would leave behind. Jonas was starting to see a pattern in Harley’s behavior – too much information when it was nonsense, forgetful when it was important. Jonas attributed it to Harley’s extremely laid back nature. Except for the occasional burst of sincerity, Harley just took things as they came and worried about the consequences later.

Jonas grimaced as he traced the deep black lines swirling around his wrists. It reminded him of Celtic knots. And the only reason he could even compare it to that was because his mother had insisted on holding on to old books, even when most writings had become kindling by now. He remembered the one she often showed him as a child, full of drawings and designs. The Celtic knots were some of his favorites. He would always find himself tracing the elaborate knots with his fingertips, trying to draw them with his hands so he would never forget them.

Of course, he would forget. There was no way he could copy those from memory now. But the marks on his arms were similar to what he remembered as a boy. The part that veered away form his memories was the open circle on the undersides. In the design on each side, a perfect circle laid in the center. A dark ring of black surrounded it, leaving his skin showing through the center. Harley had shown him what the circle was for.

As Harley finished the sealing spell, two deep black dots appeared on his own wrists, in the same spot as Jonas’s open ones. Harley had taken Jonas’s hands and slid their wrists together. When the full circles touched the open ones, Jonas felt a strange tingling run through his arms.

“That’s called the Master Connection,” Harley had informed him. Jonas’s heart dropped at the words. _Master?_ What kind of master? Like a master key? Or a master and… slave?

When Harley had let go, the tingling dissipated but Jonas still felt a tremor rack his body. Even now, as Harley slept, dead to the world as he snored, Jonas still felt the vibration in his chest and stomach. It reached down to his groin, causing his cock to stiffen. Jonas pressed his hand against his erection, trying to get it to stop. But his fingers only enhanced the sensation.

Jonas thought about going to the bathroom and releasing himself. Harley was fast asleep. He’d never know Jonas had jacked off only a few feet away.

Quietly, Jonas pushed himself off the blanket. He grabbed one crutch to help him move to the bathroom. Ever so gently, he closed the door, sealing his deed from the world. Using the toilet lid as a seat, he set himself down and unzipped his jeans. Jonas missed the days of nightclothes and pajamas. It was so much easier to relieve himself, not to mention much more comfortable to sleep in.

He extracted his erection hastily, slowly pumping as he got even harder. Jonas bit his lip to stifle a moan as he rubbed his shaft. At this rate, he would come soon. He hadn’t touched himself in so long that he would come embarrassingly quickly. But in this case it wasn’t about pleasure. It was about relief. He had no lover to please. This was raw and simple. One purpose and one result.

Jonas couldn’t help a small moan when he came. White fluid covered his palm as he continued to milk his cock. As he removed his hand, he stared around the crumbling bathroom for something to wipe himself clean with. Jonas ticked at himself, mentally kicking himself for not bringing a cloth in with him. There was nothing left in this place. Grumbling, he shoved his still half-hard cock back in his pants and stood up. It would be sticky and gross, but he had nothing to clean with. Whenever they came across a water source, he would take care of it then. He wiped his hands on his jeans. There was nothing for it. The last thing he needed was Harley laughing or making fun of him.

After resettling himself on the pallet, Jonas tried to fall asleep. After coming, sleep should have come naturally. However, his body refused. His cock never went fully down and began to strain against his jeans again. And Jonas began to feel uncomfortably hot. It was June. Of course he’d be sweating. Air conditioning had long been a luxury of the past. But this wasn’t like the heat of a stifling summer night. Jonas felt it in his core, couldn’t get away from it. His nipples hardened to stiff peaks. His dick strained even harder.

Jonas wanted to cry out in frustration. Was he really this wanton? Had it been so long now that his body had had a taste of pleasure and it was demanding more? Jonas pinched a nipple extremely hard, trying to make it painful enough that he wouldn’t be turned on anymore. But the pain quickly turned to pleasure and did nothing more than stoke the fire in his belly. As Jonas began to get up again, reaching for the crutch so he could make his way back to the bathroom, a hand settled on his thigh.

“What’s wrong?” Harley yawned, sleepy eyes barely open.

“Nothing,” Jonas jerked away.

“You’ve already been up once.”

Jonas’s face went fiery red. Had Harley heard him, what he was doing in the bathroom? Jonas could have sworn with Harley’s snores that the man had been fast asleep.

“It was nothing. Just needed to get up. Back was hurting.”

Harley stared at him sleepily. Jonas could have sworn he saw that flash of gold again in Harley’s eyes. This time there were no lit candles.

“Liar,” Harley whispered hoarsely, eyes widening slightly.

Jonas looked back to the ceiling. Harley resettled his hand on Jonas’s thigh. Jonas tried to turn away but Harley gripped the muscle, keeping him in place.

“You feel unusually warm.” He commented.

“It’s June,” Jonas tried to respond nonchalantly, but he could have sworn he heard a waver in his voice. Why did that hand feel so damn good? Harley’s hand had almost a cooling effect through his jeans. Then the hand began to move up.

“Cut it out,” Jonas tried to pry Harley’s fingers away. But even touching Harley’s hand with his own felt good. Before he could stop him, Harley was palming Jonas’s erection through his pants.

“You’re suffering,” Harley whispered, settling his chin on Jonas’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. It’s a side-effect of the Master Connection.”

“Don’t you think,” Jonas ground through his teeth. “That is something you should have told me before?”

“Doesn’t affect everyone the same,” Harley murmured, still sounding sleepy as he rubbed the stiff erection. “No reason to worry you if I wasn’t sure it would even happen.”

“Isn’t that like why doctors are supposed to warn patients of all possible complications?” Jonas moaned out as Harley gripped harder.

“I’m not a doctor,” Harley lifted his head. The sparkle of gold was back, flickering in the moonlight. Harley lifted his hand to twist a hardened nipple through Jonas’s shirt. Jonas couldn’t help but cry out. He tried to grip Harley’s wrist but couldn’t get the man to let go. Harley’s other hand began to work the shirt up over his stomach.

“Quit,” Jonas groaned. “I’ll take care of it myself.”

“Won’t work,” Harley kissed Jonas’s throat, letting his lips slide against his Adam’s apple, voice still drowsy. “You need me to release you since I have the other side of the connection. I’m the only one that can ease this for you. The more you try to fight it, the worse it will get.”

“No, I don’t want this!” Jonas cried out, shoving Harley with all his might. The gold shone brighter as Harley twisted his arm and lifted himself on top of Jonas, pinning him down. Harley closed his eyes.

“I won’t hurt you,” Harley whispered. “I’ll only do what I have to to alleviate this.” Harley moved his crotch against Jonas.

“Please, don’t.” Jonas started to cry. “I don’t want to be forced.” _Again._

Jonas hadn’t said the last word aloud but it was almost as if Harley could hear him. The gold is his eyes shimmered away.

“I’m sorry,” Harley hung his head. “I’m not sure what came over me.”

“I… It’s…” Jonas wanted to say _okay._ But was it really? He had come this close to being raped again.

Harley still sat on him, his erection flagging as he pressed his palms to his eyes.

“I don’t think I was fully awake,” Harley murmured. “Kind of half dreaming.”

“You seemed out of it,” Jonas breathed heavy, willing the other man to move. Harley may not feel turned on anymore but Jonas was still feeling it strongly. He needed Harley away from him.

“Did I hurt you?” Harley winced as he climbed off of Jonas, letting his hands and hips free.

“No, just scared me is all.”

“So, what are you going to do about…” Harley gestured to the tent in Jonas’s pants.

“I may have not been all the way awake but I do know it’s true – Now that we’re sealed, I’m the only one who can relieve you.”

“I can’t,” Jonas shook his head furiously. “I think… I think it’ll go away in its own time.”

“It’s not going to.” Harley persisted.

“I said no!” Jonas ground out. Harley jumped a bit at the force behind those words.

“No,” Jonas softened but still meant it.

They sat in complete silence for a few minutes.

“Can I ask something?” Harley hesitated with a whisper.

“I suppose.” Jonas groused, pulling his shirt back down.

“Are you a virgin?”

Jonas stared dumbly at Harley. _Is this guy serious?_

“I don’t really think that’s your business.”

“You said I could ask.”

“Wouldn’t have let you if I knew _what_ you were going to ask.”

“When I really woke up it just seemed like you were afraid of doing this.”

“I am. But not because I’m a virgin.”

“Is it me?”

“Kind of.”

“Am I scary?”

“Sometimes. Especially when you have those gold eyes.”

“What?” Harley seemed dumbfounded. “What are you talking about?”

“Earlier,” Jonas swallowed. “You had gold eyes for a minute while you were taking my blood. Then again now.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about. My eyes are gray.”

“They weren’t for a minute.”

“You sure it wasn’t the candles?”

“Earlier, I thought it was. Now, there are no candles. So it couldn’t be.”

“Strange,” Harley tapped his chin, looking off into a dark corner.

“You’re the alchemist,” Jonas responded. “If you don’t know why, I’m completely at a loss.”

“I’ll look into it.”

“You had better.” Jonas scoffed. “You looked demonic. And you almost forced yourself on me.”

“Sorry about that,” Harley lied down with a thump.

_You almost violate me and all you can say is sorry?_

Jonas huffed with disgust. He scooted over to make more space between them. His balls squeezed harder at the distance. Sleep would not come tonight. As long as he felt stirred up like this, he would not get any rest. And now he had to worry about Harley sleep-fucking him.

Jonas closed his eyes as Harley proceeded to snore loudly again. But this time Jonas didn’t believe he was really asleep.


	7. VII

Two days. God, had it really been two days since Jonas started feeling this way? He had prayed that the persistent feeling would go. No luck on that front. If his balls weren’t about to drop off by now from not getting release then they surely would soon. Over the two days since forming the seal, Jonas had taken himself in hand at least a dozen times. And each time, instead of the constant urge to fuck subsiding, it grew in intensity.

_I can’t go on like this._

Harley and Jonas had made it outside the limits of the city. What once were highways were now crumbles of nothing more than black rocks. Occasionally, the road would be in fairly good condition, allowing the two men to walk on it for a while. Jonas was grateful for that. Crutches and grass were not a good combination. The damn things would get tangled in the slightest tuft of weeds.

Harley had said they were traveling south. Where exactly, Harley probably didn’t even know. Jonas was more wary of the blonde man now, but he still would rather take his chances with him than deal with the army. That night had scared Jonas but at least Harley _did_ stop. Jonas knew from experience that soldiers would not.

The long summer days made it more conducive for travel. While the hot sun baked them both golden, making Jonas’s freckles stand out even more, it beat fighting snow and slush. And the days were longer, giving them more time to cover more ground before nightfall. It was tiring and drawn out but better than sticking around for whatever the incoming Northerns had in mind.

Just when Jonas thought he couldn’t walk any more, fighting the crutches and his dick, Harley stopped them at a tree line. The man listened for a minute before getting his goofy grin back on his face.

“Pretty sure I hear water,” Harley turned towards Jonas. They were in bad need of refilling their canteens. And Jonas wouldn’t mind a bath, a chance to wash his clothes. It was still light enough they had time.

Harley steered them to the shade of a large oak. It overlooked a wide stream. It was probably only three feet deep in the middle but it ran clear and felt cold against Jonas’s fingers as he reached to swipe a mouthful of water.

“I would boil it first,” Harley commented.

“Don’t care right now,” Jonas took another mouthful..

“You will care when we lose time because you’re sick. Let me go boil some.” As Harley fiddled with the drinking water, Jonas took a moment to remove his shoes. The water felt incredible against his bare feet.

“Are we staying here or moving on?” Jonas said over his shoulder. Harley stood from where he was stooping, recapping a canteen.

“I figure we’ve gone far enough today. I’m sure your leg could use some rest. Plus,” Harley walked to Jonas while simultaneously tearing off his shirt. “I wouldn’t mind having a bath. Harley unceremoniously stripped to nothing, leaving his clothes in a wad on the bank. Harley quickly dunked himself under and let the cold water run over his dusty body. The way the sun glistened off his wet back and chest made Jonas’s erection worse. No, he would not think about Harley in any sexual way. Yes, Harley was attractive. But he couldn’t succumb to those thoughts. The man had an agenda and Jonas wasn’t on it.

It was impossible to avoid looking, however. Crystal rivulets ran down the smooth back and thighs of Harley’s well-toned body, dripping into the slowly running stream. When Harley turned to face him, a gorgeous smile on his cheeks, Jonas was awestruck. Jonas’s heart beat wildly. How could he think about how hot this guy was after he had pretty much forced himself on him?

“You gonna wash?” Harley asked, walking back to the bank. Jonas tried not to stare at the semi-hard cock fashioned to that incredible body, slowly bobbing with Harley’s steps. Even the hair it nested in was perfection. Jonas tried to break his gaze, tried to look at anything else other than this god-like creature. He may look good but Jonas knew he was nuts.

“Here, I can help with your leg,” Harley said almost too kindly.

“I can wash myself.” Jonas frowned.

“Yeah, but we have to wrap your splint.”

“I can do that, too.”

“Let me help.” Harley’s smile didn’t fade but his eyes looked pleading. Maybe he felt bad for the other night and was trying to do something useful.

“Fine.” Jonas huffed out.

Harley went to the packs and took out some plastic. He gently rolled it around the splint, tying it off at the end. It wasn’t attractive but it would do the job.

“Thank you,” Jonas offered. Without permission, Harley started to disrobe him.

“You’ve done enough,” Jonas growled, holding on to the edge of his shirt.

“Let me,” Harley pleaded again with that achingly sweet smile. Jonas didn’t give up his grasp but Harley was stronger. If Jonas wanted to have the shirt by tomorrow, he’d have to let Harley win this one. He lifted his arms as Harley pulled it over his head, setting it next to his own clothes.

“I’m taking care of my jeans,” Jonas insisted.

“Suit yourself,” Harley waded back into the water. Jonas struggled to get the jeans off over his broken leg. After some creative maneuvering he had them off and in the pile. Next came his boxers. Jonas watched warily, not wanting Harley to see him completely nude. As quick as he could, he extracted the shorts and moved into the water. He hid his torso under the water. It was clear as could be but the flow of the water obscured his body enough. Immediately, Jonas began to run water over his face and hair, relishing in the coolness and cleanliness.

Harley stopped in front of them.

“You got it?” he asked.

“I’m not five,” Jonas retorted with a harsh laugh. Harley shrugged and bent down lower so they were at eye-level.

“I know,” he smiled. “Not with a piece like that.” He gestured down to Jonas’s crotch underneath the water.

“Stop looking,” Jonas splashed Harley. Harley laughed. Jonas just wanted some privacy and the blonde thought this was a game.

The cold did nothing to quell the fire in his loins. Harley’s genuinely beautiful smile, combined with how sensual his body appeared while soaking wet made it worse. If this is how Jonas would feel each time he was able to bathe, he would rather stink for all eternity.

Jonas tried to wash the grittiness from the road away while ignoring Harley’s roving eyes. The sunlight was strong but Jonas could have sworn he saw another flash of gold.

“You know,” Harley sauntered over next to him, touching shoulder to shoulder. “We still need to exchange blood today.”

“When will that be over with?” Jonas sputtered around a face full of water.

“Another week or so,” Harley’s mouth got dangerously close to Jonas’s neck. Jonas pulled away but ended up sprawling under the surface of the water. He yanked himself back up and stared at Harley’s grin.

“Poor dear,” he tutted, pulling Jonas up.

“Stop acting insane,” Jonas spat with another splash. Harley’s smirk grew.

“I have all my faculties, actually,” Harley moved toward him again. His eyes had now completely been taken over by streaks of golden yellow. The demon teeth began to elongate slightly, canines looking sharp and dangerous. As Jonas flailed back again, Harley caught his wrist and tore into it with those teeth. It hurt but it also sent a shot of pleasure to his cock. For a moment, Jonas thought he would come from being bitten. The humiliation Harley would subject him to if he did put a damper on his libido though.

Harley continued to suckle at his wrist, drops of crimson blood mixing with the black lines. Eventually, Harley took his fill and pulled his lips away. Licking the blood off of them should have disgusted Jonas. It normally did. But the way Harley did it this time was enticing and sensual.

Then Harley took his own wrist, tearing open a small wound with those teeth just above the black dot. Jonas was too shocked to move as Harley pushed his own wrist against Jonas’s mouth. Before, Harley had fed him blood through a cut on his lip. Now he was shoving a wound at him, the hole bleeding more profusely than lips ever could. Jonas choked on it, wanted to reject it, to spit it out. But once the copper tang touched his tongue and swam warmly down his throat, he began to drink in earnest.

Never before had he _wanted…_ No, _needed_ this. The blood became almost sweet like syrup and Jonas couldn’t get enough. He held onto Harley’s arm while he drank, letting Harley pet his wet hair. Jonas’s head began to swim. His cock felt like it would burst.

Harley spun him around, kicking up water, placing his chest against Jonas’s back. He continued to let Jonas feed as he reached around and grabbed Jonas’s erection. A few quick pumps brought him to agonizing completion. His mouth popped off the wrist as he screamed out his pleasure.

His mind told him to get away from this man as fast as possible. But his body refused to work. He could feel Harley’s fingers sliding up his ribs, massaging his chest while holding him up out of the water. Had Harley not been holding him, he might have just slid under the water and drowned. Jonas’s face burned, tears stinging in his eyes.

He was angry. Angry that Harley had touched him when he had told him no. Angry that he had enjoyed it and came. Angry that he wanted _more_. His brain repeatedly reminded him that this was not what he wanted. But his body insisted this was right. Jonas kicked at Harley’s hold on him, trying to get away. His leg slowed him down. Harley wrapped his arms tight around his chest, holding him fast as Jonas cried and fought.

 

 

 

*

 

 

When Harley’s mind defogged he knew he was in trouble. It had happened again. The yearning for Jonas’s blood and body was coming stronger than ever. Harley knew that the Drawing would create a binding to Jonas but he had no idea how uncontrollable it would be. Was this normal? Harley had no references to go on. Harley had understood that the process would make them have a need for one another but not like this. Harley wasn’t even in control when his lust hit. It was like a different person was in his body. He felt as if the more blood he drank, the worse it got. And he tried to slow down, to take less. But then the other person inside him would override and force him to ingest more, to take what was his.

_He’s not mine. Jonas was never mine._

_You’re just the shmuck who found him first._

Harley held on as Jonas struggled. He knew he should let him go. Jonas wanted to be let go. But if Harley let him go, he might run away forever. He had to make Jonas understand that he wasn’t in control. He wasn’t doing this to him. And he had to find out what was.


	8. VIII

That night, Harley made sure to make Jonas his own pallet. There was nothing he could do to make this better. He had violated this man’s trust, his body. He supposed it could have been worse, but it didn’t matter. Jonas had explicitly asked to not be touched and Harley had gone ahead and done it anyway. Did it matter that he wasn’t in control? To Jonas, it wouldn’t.

The two set up camp under the trees in tense silence. Neither spoke as they set out bedding and made a fire. Jonas refused his food.

Without a word, Jonas shuffled to his pallet to go to sleep – although Harley would be surprised if Jonas actually slept tonight. Harley watched the rise and fall of Jonas’s stomach for a few minutes, the fire crackling in his peripheral vision. He felt utterly miserable.

_What is wrong with me?_

Unable – unwilling - to sleep, Harley reached for his brown pack. A small leather notebook fell out onto the grass. Harley picked it up, thumbing through the contents, looking for a specific page. He had doggy-eared so many of the yellowing pages that there was no discernable system of marking anymore. He finally came to a page scrawled with what would probably pass for a pencil.

A smudged drawing was just under the fold of the corner, followed by quickly written script. The drawing was small and quite a few years old now. If Harley hadn’t been so upset with himself he might have laughed at his pathetic recreation. But the drawing wasn’t the most important thing right now. Harley stood, taking a kindling stick and the book with him. He found a patch of dry earth and began to scrawl the same characters that appeared in his notebook. The dust protested as the stick dug into it, forming the symbols. It cracked and spun away with the slightest breeze.

When Harley finished his writing, he extracted his pouch of spell powder and let it fall with the breeze onto the symbols. He murmured a few words before a flash of blue lit up the dust for a moment. It quickly dissipated. But within seconds of its disappearance, a smoky shadow began oozing from the symbols. Tendrils of smoke wrapped around his ankles and he felt cold despite the oppressing humidity.

Harley let it go, rubbing his hands together, closing his eyes and letting the shadow envelop him.

 _You looked demonic._ That’s what Jonas had said, wasn’t it?

He could feel the shadow beginning to stabilize, wisps of smoke beginning to feel like fingers on his shoulders. A presence materialized behind his back, clawed hands running up and down his arms, a comforting gesture made deadly by the creature doing it.

 _You feel stronger than I remember._ A breath whispered into his ear but he heard it in his head.

 

 

*

 

 

Jonas felt an inexplicable cold rush over him. He turned his head to the left, seeing Harley outlined by moonlight and… Something else dark was with him. And, God, help him, two sets of bright yellow eyes. Jonas was frozen stiff.

 

 

*

 

 

_He’s watching us._

“I know,” Harley whispered, staring straight ahead.

 _So what do I owe the pleasure of this beautiful night?_ Claws raked up the side of his neck, stopping at the shell of his ear.

“I want to make a trade.”

_Oh?_

“Take your God-forsaken fangs back.”

_No can do. I don’t trade back._

“You can. Your original trade wasn’t in good faith. According to Demonic law, you have to.”

_How rude. You know I would never trick you._

“So says the Demon Trickster,” Harley laughed harshly.

 _Is that what they’re calling me now?_ The voice snickered.

“If the shoe fits,” Harley tried to shrug off the hands touching him.

 _No trades._ The demon resumed petting Harley’s shoulders. _However, I would be willing to help in other ways_. The claws slid to his hip, dipping under his waistband. Harley yanked away and faced the black figure. Gold eyes met his own.

“No,” Harley spat vehemently. He couldn’t help it as his eyes slid down the dark body. No clothes. Typical demon.

_I can’t help you. That kind of trade is permanent. A piece of me is attached to your soul. I rip those teeth out, you’ll die. Can’t have my pretty Harley dying so soon._

“That wasn't in our terms of agreement,” Harley growled as the hands grabbed his jaw.

The demon seemed like he was studying the teeth in his mouth.

_They’ve tasted blood, haven’t they?_

“Yes.” There was no use denying it.

_Tsk. Tsk. You should have known better. But that’s typical Harley, isn’t it? Leaping without looking. Now that you’ve had human blood, the demonic attachment in your soul will call for more. And you’ll have to feed it. I suppose this could be easier if any old source would do but you’ve found an extra powerful one, haven’t you? Sweet and ripe like a delectable fruit. You should share sometime. It’s been a while since I’ve had something so delicious._

The demon let go of his face and backed up a step. They’re eyes locked.

“You knew this would happen.” Harley accused.

 _I had no idea you would actually_ find _a Core. But I had hopes. An investment well worth the risk._

“What investment?” Harley said incredulously.

_That attachment is still connected to me. I sacrificed part of my power to give it you. But now I’m getting quite an unexpected return by siphoning off a little of that extra power the Core is giving you. You really should share. We could have fun._

“Don’t touch him,” Harley snarled.

 _Oh, Dear._ The demon patted his cheek. _I don’t have to on my own. I’m doing it through you. Now that I’ve had a taste, I want more._

“You!” Harley tried to punch him but he disappeared in a flash of smoke, reappearing on the other side. “You’re the one who made me touch him and break his trust!”

 _I only did what you_ wanted _to do._

“I never wanted to touch him!” Harley screeched.

_Don’t be a fool. I’ve seen your innermost desires. I’m inside you. Remember?_

Harley dove at the shadowy figure, missing again. This time the demon fought back, grabbing him by the hair and pushing him to his knees. The claws dug into his skull. Harley was sure he’d have a hunk of hair missing.

_You need to finish Drawing him. Do what you want to him. You have to do the blood exchange anyway. Get your Core. Finish the job. And I'll eat like a king. Consider this a symbiotic relationship._

“You’re a parasite,” Harley ground his teeth in pain. The demon chuckled.

_You should have known what you were in for when you tangled with a Lust Demon. And the Trickster._


	9. IX

Jonas had watched in horror as Harley had been beaten down by the… Jonas wasn’t really sure what it was. From the distance, he couldn’t make out details other than it was massive and black with sharp golden eyes that glowed like fire. But he was grateful he couldn’t hear the sounds. The creature had forced Harley to the ground and crushed him with little effort, slinging him like a rag doll. For a moment, Harley laid perfectly still as the creature sank back into the ground. Jonas thought he was dead. No, Jonas would know if he was dead. He could sense it.

After the longest minute ever, Harley stumbled to his feet, coughing and sputtering. He must have been bruised and bleeding from that attack. It was a miracle that he could stand at all.

He staggered back to the dying embers of the fire, falling down on his side in front of it, panting miserably. Now, Jonas could see the true measure of the beating. Harley’s face was purple and black, blood dripping from his mouth where it was cut, myriads of slashes across his right arm and torso, left pant leg torn open and a gash saturated with crimson, soaking the dust of the fire pit. Jonas crawled to his good knee, dragging the broken leg behind him.

Jonas warred with himself. He couldn’t stand to see another person so broken but he had little sympathy after what Harley had done.

 _Fuckin’ hell, Jonas._ The decent human being inside him won out. Flopping next to Harley, Jonas tried to reach over to inspect the injured man. As his hand moved towards the tears on his arm, Harley flinched away.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.” Harley growled. Jonas was taken aback. Harley looked like a wild bull, eyes wide and glowing.

“I was trying to help, see what I can do for your injuries,” Jonas retorted angrily. So much for trying to help the asshole.

“Don’t,” Harley repeated, face softening like he felt bad about reprimanding Jonas. “The cuts are infected with demon residue. Don’t want that on you.”

“But it’s on you. What is it going to do to you?”

“Nothing I haven’t already been infected with,” Harley lifted his head. Dirt smeared his cheek. “You on the other hand are still mostly pure.”

“Mostly?” Jonas winced.

“You have some of my blood in you. Turns out there’s some demon in me after all,” Harley laughed but there was no humor to it.

“You mean your teeth?”

“More than that apparently.”

“Should I be concerned?”

Harley looked at him with the most desperate eyes Jonas had ever seen. They warred between gold and gray.

“Yeah.”

Jonas’s heart stopped at Harley’s declaration. Harley curled in on himself, obviously the pain growing worse. Jonas was afraid but if he didn’t do something Harley would bleed out.

“What can I do for your wounds?” Jonas asked warily.

Harley’s face contorted, clearly a conflict battling in his mind.

“The last thing I want you to do, but I,” Harley swallowed. “Need it.”

“What?” Jonas was cautious.

Harley nodded his chin toward the packs.

“Knife in there,” he coughed out some blood. “Cut your wrist. Let it drip in my mouth. Don’t touch me though.”

Jonas didn’t want to. He really didn’t owe the guy anything. From the start, Harley had led him through a series of lies and half-truths. But at the same time, Jonas didn’t want it on his conscience that he had let another person die. Life nowadays was too precious to let it slip away. Especially when he had the solution in hand.

“I hate you,” Jonas grumbled as he slid over to the packs, gingerly working his bum leg.

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” Harley laughed but then was hit with more wet coughs. Some of his old humor was resurfacing. Jonas grimaced as he pulled the Swiss army knife from the outside pocket. Was he really going to do this? Of course he would because he was a fool. A grade A fool.

Resettling by the flames, Jonas extended his arm over Harley’s mouth, close but not touching. Harley barely opened his lips, eyes closed. Jonas didn’t want to look but he also didn’t want to knick an artery. He cringed as the blade sliced into the black design. Blood immediately began to drip into Harley’s waiting mouth. His pink tongue slid out and caught it, the red staining his teeth.

Harley kept his eyes closed as the blood ran past his lips. The demon was right. It was good. Sweet. He wanted more. He wanted to clamp his arms around that wrist and suck until he was full. But he had to resist. The demon was already getting more than he deserved by Jonas feeding him. But if he had no strength, then there was nothing he could do to fix all this. Harley had to take that downside in order to heal. Once better, he could think about all of this more clearly, come up with some plan or solution. There had to be one, right?

To Jonas’s credit, he sat there bravely, waiting for Harley to tell him it was enough. A fire began building in his stomach. The cuts and bruises stung but Harley could feel them wrapping, warping, and stretching, trying to close and heal. After a while, Harley closed his mouth. The remaining drops dripped across his chin. Jonas took it as a sign he was done. Harley watched as Jonas retracted his arm, covering it with the edge of his t-shirt to stop the bleeding. Then, Harley’s mind began to wander into a haze. He didn’t want to sleep but his body demanded it. The wash of the dream world rolled over him and he fell into it.

 

 

 

 

 

*****************

 

 

 

 

Harley slept all day. Jonas watched him, trying to see if all of this was for naught and the man had slipped away anyway. But each time he looked, there was a steady rise and fall of his chest. And the wounds had visibly improved.

Jonas was antsy to move. Spending too long in one place would surely allow enough time for well-trained soldiers to find them. No, they weren’t special targets, at least as far as Jonas knew, but he didn’t want to chance coming across them. And with Harley down and Jonas still broken, the chances greatly increased.

Luckily, Jonas’s leg was feeling better today. While Harley slept, Jonas ventured back to the stream, getting his first lick of privacy in a long time. Instead of wrapping his leg, though, he decided to risk taking off the splint. Gingerly, he removed the boards and cloth. He frowned at the yellow and purple bruises dotting his leg. It still hurt. But it also felt wonderful for the breeze to brush against his leg. It had been weeks now since he had last felt it. Carefully, Jonas assumed a standing position, putting all his weight on his good leg. Ever so gently, he shifted a little of the weight to the injured one. It didn’t collapse under him. It was tender and stiff but it held.

_I wonder if this is Harley’s blood doing this to me._

There was no way his leg should have withstood the weight it did now unless some divine intervention – or magic – had healed it. Jonas didn’t have time to dwell on it. It didn’t matter. He could walk now without crutches hopefully. That would help tremendously once Harley was awake and moving again. Jonas wouldn’t slow down the pair anymore.

After carefully washing the leg and dressing, Jonas restarted the fire. He didn’t appreciate the extra heat but he had to cook something. He hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning and he was starving as evening began to set in.

For the first time, he wished he were an alchemist like Harley. Harley could magically heat anything in no time. Jonas had to cook the old-fashioned way.

After eating, Jonas reset his pallet for the night. Harley hadn’t woken at all during the day. If he still wasn’t awake by morning, Jonas would begin to worry.

 

 

*

 

 

Harley’s eyes opened with dawn sunlight. His head hurt, a massive headache ravaging his temples. But the rest of his body simply felt numb and tight. At least there was no pain there. Gently, he sat up. The fire was smoldering as he spotted Jonas packing up their campsite. Jonas turned to look at him. A small smile painted his freckled cheeks.

“Good. You’re awake,” he nodded, resuming his packing.

“And you’re…” Harley looked at Jonas’s legs. “Standing.”

“Leg’s much better,” Jonas announced, dropping the red pack by the fire pit. “Still a little sore but I can walk.”

“I wouldn’t stress it,” Harley mumbled, rubbing his forehead. Jonas dropped a plate of some kind of canned mess in his lap.

“Eat,” Jonas commanded as he went to get the brown pack. “We need to get moving. We lost a day because of you.”

Harley couldn’t argue the point.

“Did you ever figure out where we’re going?” Jonas ventured, sitting next to Harley in the dirt.

“Huh?” Harley looked up from his food. “Oh, yeah… There’s an old alchemist library down south. I figured we’d head there.”

“Why a library?” Jonas pondered aloud.

“Hopefully, it will have something I need.”

“What?”

“Not sure yet. Gonna have to find it first.”

“I love it when you’re vague in the morning.”


	10. X

Jonas asked at least a dozen questions about where they were heading. What city? How long would it take? _What_ was Harley expecting to find? Did Harley even realize that most books had been burned by now? He’d been holed up in that hospital long enough he may have been sheltered from any major changes over the last decade. But Jonas’s questions sparked something of Harley’s interest.

“Where did you say you were from exactly?” Harley inquired as they walked along a beat up stretch of highway. Jonas had to keep from stumbling over a buried traffic cone. The tip of orange barely obscured the surface and it was faded from years of neglect and weather. Getting his footing back, Jonas looked at Harley’s curious expression. He wasn’t quite sure what the right answer was. And after the run in with the creature, Jonas was terrified of answering incorrectly.

“All over really,” Jonas responded, leaving a few feet between them when Harley abruptly stopped.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Harley asked, folding his arms across his chest impatiently.

“Exactly what I said. _All over_ ,” Jonas spread his hands.

Harley squinted.

“All over what?” Harley took a step towards him.

“Here,” Jonas gestured.

“ _Here_ here?” Harley responded incredulously.

“No, just… around,” Jonas struggled.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Harley took another step so they were almost nose-to-nose.

“Nothing,” Jonas replied emphatically. “I’ve lived a bunch of different places.”

“That’s unusual,” Harley pretended to study Jonas’s blue t-shirt. “Hard to move from city to city without getting caught.”

“We’ve been moving fine,” Jonas protested.

“Because you’re with me. I’ve been casting spells the whole way to veil us. And I know you haven’t been with an alchemist before because you’d be their Core already.”

“Why are you getting offended?” Jonas gulped. Harley was too close for comfort. Harley had just started to get back his old self over the past few days. Now he was losing it again.

“Look at me,” Harley glared. Jonas hated it when he turned those eyes on him. He tried to stare at the ground. He felt Harley’s fingers cradle his chin. Jonas squeezed his eyes shut.

“ _Look at me._ ” Jonas barely peeked an eye open but it was enough. The stabbing in the back of his head started up again. The black lines on his wrists singed miserably. His body froze. It felt like Harley was opening and closing doors in his mind, trying to find the right one. Brusquely, Harley broke the contact. The pain stopped and his head swam with numbness and fatigue.

“I thought you said you couldn’t read minds,” Jonas collapsed to his knees. He felt like he’d run a marathon. He was puffing and breathing heavily.

“I can’t,” Harley stepped back, knocking some rocks with him. “I can only read who you are.”

“But you already did that,” Jonas trembled as he stood back up.

“Just looking for your identity last time. The _who_ and _what_. Not the _where_.”

Harley turned on his heel and began walking again. Jonas huffed and tried to keep up. Harley increased his pace.

“Better catch up, _Northern._ ” he spat.

“Wait!” Jonas growled as he pushed his body too hard to gain ground. He reached forward and snagged Harley’s shoulder, body insisting he stop. Harley reluctantly did but he refused to face him.

“Stop and listen to me!” Jonas shouted although there was no need to. He put all his frustration into his words. _Why do I even care if he understands?_

“I left,” Jonas panted. “They didn’t kick me out. I left. I defected.”

“So you’re a refugee then?” Harley finally turned toward him. His expression had relaxed somewhat but he was still on guard.

“Yes,” Jonas nodded, still trying to catch his breath.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Not everyone takes kindly to Northerns. _Obviously_ ,” he pointed to Harley.

“I don’t care that you’re a Northern,” Harley clarified. “But I saw _who_ you were. I don’t care for soldiers.”

“Neither do I.”

“Then why the hell were you with them?”

Jonas’s brow creased. He looked like a kicked puppy.

“I didn’t want to be,” his head dropped. If Harley didn’t know better, it looked like he was about to cry, break down right there in the middle of the highway. Harley heard him choke. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the canteen and handed it to Jonas. Jonas’s hands shook but he sipped from it. When he looked like he was about to drop it, Harley took it back and shouldered it again. Jonas looked at him from under wet lashes.

“You don’t understand,” Jonas whispered. “I didn’t want to.”

This time his words hit him in the gut. Something was seriously wrong for Jonas to be reminded of being around Northern soldiers. Harley had no love for them but he never reacted like _this_. A big tear rolled down a perfect freckled cheek.

“Jonas,” Harley whispered. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

“Too late,” Jonas rubbed at his cheek.

Harley nodded. What could he say? Jonas was right. He looked and saw a glimpse of who Jonas was. That wasn’t enough for him to know everything, to blame the man in front of him.

“I want to understand,” Harley laid his fingers on Jonas’s shoulders.

“You shouldn’t be touching me,” Jonas hiccoughed. “The demon residue.”

“Should have worn off by now,” Harley said softly, like speaking to a spooked animal. “Tell me, Jonas. Let me understand.”

“I don’t want to tell,” Jonas’s head hung low. “I don’t want to remember. God, why do you make me remember?”

“That bad, huh?” Jonas spoke quietly as he brushed back Jonas’s brown hair behind his ear. He pulled Jonas into a full hug. He couldn’t remember the last time he hugged someone like this. Surprisingly, Jonas didn’t resist. He fully expected the man to knock him on his ass or at the least push him away. Instead, Jonas’s forehead rested on his shoulder, silent tears wetting his shirt. A small sniffle was the only sound besides the occasional birdcall.

“Jonas,” Harley soothed, whispering into his hair as his fingers ran up and down his back in a comforting gesture. Harley kept repeating his name over and over.

“They’re horrible people,” Jonas murmured into the cloth of Harley’s shirt. “I can’t go back to them. I can’t. I’d rather kill myself than endure it again.”

“Jonas…”

“They take people, Harley.”

Harley’s eyes widened and his hands faltered for a moment. But Jonas was responding to him, to his calm ministrations so he forced himself to resume rubbing his back.

“They don’t need more soldiers. They’re plenty and more willing to join. The Northerns have no problem recruiting. That’s why when you said they were headed here… Back at the hospital… I got scared. They’re not trying to get people for their ranks. They’re looking for people to _appease_ them.”

“Appease?”

Jonas finally moved back and looked into Harley’s face. Those watery blue eyes couldn’t get any bluer.

“They’re taking slaves, Harley.”

_Slaves?_

“What?”

“Slaves.” Jonas repeated. “Slaves for everything – cooking, cleaning… _sex._ ”

Harley’s heart sank. _Sex_. No wonder Jonas didn’t want him to touch him. Those soldiers must have violated him in the worst way possible. And now Harley felt ten times as guilty for what had happened at the stream.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“Which part?”

“About what the soldiers are doing to people.”

“I told you. I don’t want to remember.”

Harley was really lost now. He desperately hoped the library would have something of use. Even as he felt terrible for what he had done to Jonas before, he felt the beginnings of ecstasy hit his groin. He couldn’t do that to Jonas again. Thank God it hadn’t gone further but it still was an egregious violation of Jonas’s body. He had to put an end to this soon. After all this work to get away from the Northern invasion, he couldn’t be the one to ruin it because of some Trickster demon.

“I won’t let them get you.” Harley promised. _I won’t get you._


	11. XI

Jonas was embarrassed with himself for crying in front of Harley like that. But those memories of how the soldiers had kidnapped him, taken him hostage… They still hurt like freshly cut wounds. That was the last time he’d seen his mother. The soldiers had taken them both, separating them. They’d thrown him in a dirty cell with a few other kidnapped young men. He’d seen them press the barrel of a rifle against his mother’s back, pushing her away as she cried out for her son. He’d fought. He’d tried to get back to her as she disappeared into the crowds of vile soldiers. He’d heard the hoots and hollers. Disgusting chants and words were uttered by the army’s men, some directed at his mother, others at him and his captured companions.

After a while, when his voice was hoarse and he couldn’t scream for his mother anymore, he’d collapsed to the filthy floor. He didn’t know the men he was with. One of them had hugged him, crying with him. One had said that it would be okay. Jonas desperately wanted to believe that. Only the reality was much worse.

Jonas had believed they wanted the men to become soldiers. He couldn’t have been more wrong. They beat them every day, forced them to do menial work at first. Before long, it became apparent what their true purpose was. Jonas still shivered as he remembered that first time they had violated him.

Two soldiers forcibly extracted him from the dingy holding cell. They practically dragged him as he fought, taking him to a barrack filled with smirking and laughing soldiers. They kicked him and taunted him. At first, he thought they were simply going to beat the shit out of him. When he struggled, they tied his arms and legs, making him immobile. Even then he bucked and tried to kick, spitting at them. The soldiers eventually blindfolded and tranquilized him. From then, he drifted in and out of consciousness, waking to feel extreme pain in his backside, screaming, and then falling into oblivion again. By the time he came back to full awareness, he was back with the other captives, bruised and bleeding. The two other slaves had refused to help him. They had been told if they tried to nurse him they would be subjected to the same torture. Scared, they stayed as far away from him as possible. It didn’t matter though. Eventually the soldiers came for them, too.

This went on for what felt like an eternity, a pattern of being drug to the barracks and raped repeatedly by multiple men. At some point, Jonas had quit fighting. And he hoped that they would just kill him.

Freedom had come at a high price. The Northerns and Lowers had clashed on the border of their territories. Everything had erupted in flame. Noxious fumes permeated the air and black smoke swirled everywhere. Jonas hadn’t really had hope. But when the cell had become damaged in the battle, the slaves fled. The two other men had been shot. He remembered them collapsing to the burning earth, smoke obscuring their dead bodies. Maybe it was a miracle. Maybe God did exist. Somehow, Jonas had made it. Adrenaline pumping, he pushed himself as far south as possible. He ran and ran until he collapsed in pure exhaustion.

After that, he had spent years on the run, staying in Lower Territory, hopping from ruined town to ruined town. Any sign of Northerns caused him to flee. He wouldn’t be subjected to that again.

 

 

*

 

 

The urge to take more blood was growing. Harley needed it and he fought it. He needed to complete the Drawing now that it had begun but this urge for blood wasn’t connected to that. The Drawing shouldn’t have demanded the blood. It was the fucking demon in him.

 _No_.

If he took more blood, then his body would continue to require more. He would continually feed the Trickster. With a Core’s blood and power, there was no telling what the demon would do. This was the demon’s entire fault. He knew what he had done. He had manipulated Harley.

 _It’s your fault, too._ The little voice in the back of his head kept reminding him. If he just hadn’t agreed to that trade. None of this would have happened. How could he apologize to Jonas for this? As much as he had searched for a Core, he would never have begun the Drawing if he had known the demon’s plan. And now he was bound to finish it. He shuddered to think what would happen to Jonas if he didn’t complete it. He would suffer from spell sickness, the result of casting an incomplete spell. Jonas would slowly wither away until there was nothing left of him.

Harley also dreaded completing the Drawing. The demon wouldn’t tell him his plans. Maybe he just planned to live vicariously through their connection. But somehow Harley figured it wasn’t that simple.

Harley looked at Jonas as they came to rest at the outskirts of a town. They found a cabin to shelter in for the night. Harley had smelled rain in the air. He couldn’t afford to get sick right now. Jonas had been quiet since he had revealed his past with the Northern army. Harley could have thought he heard him sniffle every so often.

Quietly, they set out their sleeping arrangements. Harley moved to make two pallets when Jonas stopped him.

“Don’t,” Jonas shook his head. “One is fine.”

“Are you sure?” Harley asked.

“I’ll just punch you if you get too close.”

Harley had to chuckle at that.

“How are you feeling?” Harley asked as he prepared their food.

“The leg is fine,” Jonas shrugged, tapping his calf. “Bruised but not broken.”

“Good,” Harley handed Jonas a warmed can and a plastic spoon. Jonas accepted it and ate quietly.

The silence was at least amiable for now. Harley didn’t want to break it but he needed to know something.

“How are you... down there?”

Jonas set his empty can aside, looking away.

“It’s gotten worse over the past few days,” Jonas admitted. Harley had noticed the bulge in Jonas’s jeans but he hadn’t said anything.

“I can leave if you want to take care of it,” he offered.

“Won’t help, remember? You said so yourself.”

Harley’s head dipped. Jonas finally looked at the hanging blonde locks. Both of their hair had grown quite a bit over the past weeks. They had to look a mess.

“How come you haven’t exchanged blood for the past few days?” Jonas changed the subject, smoothing the blonde bangs. It felt strange to initiate the touch but Jonas kind of liked it. The hairs were messy but smooth. It wasn’t so bad when he chose to do it. Harley’s fingers closed around his, holding on like it was a lifeline.

“I need to,” Harley began to explain. “I’m afraid to.”

“Why?” Jonas pressed.

“I don’t want to hurt you or force you. But we’ve already begun. I put the Master Connection in place. We have to finish it. I’m just so scared… The blood makes me… feisty.”

“What will happen if we just stop?”

“Suffice it to say, you don’t want to know,” Harley’s smile was somber.

“Harley, quit leaving out things,” Jonas demanded. “We’re knee deep in this. You need to stop hiding things from me.”

“You’ll die,” Harley stated bluntly. “Slow and agonizingly.”

Jonas felt like he would throw up.

“These are the kinds of things I would have liked to know at the beginning.”

“I should have told you. I was just so excited to find a Core. And I didn’t think we’d have a problem completing it once we started. This is just so… messed up.”

“What’s messed up? Is it that _thing_?”

Harley didn’t need Jonas to elaborate. He knew what he was referring to.

“I told you I’d tell you about those demon teeth sometime. Guess now is as good as ever.” Harley spread his hands in defeat.

“It was a demon?” Jonas asked, shocked.

“Yes. A lust demon to be specific.”

“Why on earth did you trade teeth with it?”

Harley shook his head.

“Sometimes I wonder. I was young and stupid. It was almost ten years ago, right before I found the hospital.”

Jonas silently urged him to continue. Lightning flashed through the dirty cabin window. Wind and branches slammed against the sides of the wooden home.

“He wanted my teeth. Said he wanted to appear more human,” Harley shrugged. “He told me his teeth would eventually help me. Had no idea at the time what that meant. But as I said – young and stupid.”

“That thing wasn’t remotely human,” Jonas stuttered.

“I wondered that myself. I don’t know if he ever used my teeth or not.”

“Still, that doesn’t explain a whole lot.”

“Honestly, the whole encounter didn't mean much to me until the other night. I summoned him because of what you said.”

“What did I say?”

“ _You look demonic._ ”

Jonas seemed ashamed.

“Don’t give me that look. You intuitively knew more than I did.” Harley stroked a freckled arm. “Turns out, he gave up a piece of himself in that trade. So I’ve had a piece of a demon lying dormant for years without my knowledge. Your blood must have activated that part since that’s the life force of demons. He’s using us to feed now. I could let it go if you weren’t what you are.”

Jonas looked puzzled.

“A Core,” Harley gestured like it was obvious. “Your blood is much more sustaining than a mere human. He’s siphoning off the excess power. And as his power grows, I’m feeling more and more horny.”

“Is that why this is getting worse?” Jonas palmed his erection.

“Probably,” Harley looked sympathetic and blushed. “After I… took care of you, you should have been fine. But it’s continuing. The bit of demon blood I’ve fed you is making it worse. And I can’t stop. I have to continue to feed you.”

“There’s nothing we can do?” Jonas looked desperate.

“That’s why we’re going to that library. I want to see if there’s anything we can do to stop the Drawing. That way we won’t continue feeding a demon.”

“Thank you for finally telling me,” Jonas’s hand gripped the one stroking his arm. “Start telling me the truth more often.”

“Yes, sir,” Harley finally smiled and meant it.


	12. XII

The thunderstorm continued into the early morning. The rain continued to patter even as the lightning strikes rolled farther away and the sky began to lighten with the gray dawn. Neither of them had slept much. Jonas felt feverish all night with the strain on his wanton desires. Harley didn’t seem to fare much better. They had exchanged just enough blood to calm the crimson urges but it did nothing to alleviate the fire in their groins.

It had become unbearable for Jonas. He tried to release himself once, only making it worse. He knew it wouldn’t work but there was always that glimmer of hope. He felt like his dick would fall off.

Harley had tried to ignore Jonas’s small moans of frustration.

 _He’s right there. Just take him._ Harley was startled at hearing the demon voice in his head. Gold bled into his vision. Harley let out a distressed whimper. He wanted Jonas so badly. He couldn’t deny it. _No, I won’t do that to him. I promised._

Harley squeezed his eyes shut. A soft touch brushed against his cheek. A thumb stroked quietly but with a small shake. Harley turned his head, locking eyes with a set of ocean blue ones. Jonas’s eyes blazed with desire.

Harley shook his head at Jonas.

“I know,” Jonas nodded. “But I need relief.”

“I can’t. I won’t.”

“You want to.” The voice wasn’t Jonas’s. Harley’s eyes widened.

“Please,” Jonas’s voice was back. “No… No penetration. Just… touch me?”

“Jonas, I can’t guarantee I can stop.”

“Try?”

“Jonas.”

Two sets of pleading eyes warred.

“Harley.” Jonas unzipped his pants and licked his lips. He lifted his hips, shimmying the jeans to his ankles. A hand snaked up his torso, reaching beneath his t-shirt to touch a peaked nipple.

“Jonas, you’re not in control of yourself,” Harley sat up.

“I am.” Jonas wrapped his fingers around his cock and began to pump slowly. Through the haze of gray morning, Harley could see the strain on Jonas’s face.

“Harley, it hurts. Please, help.”

_He just needs a little help._

Red and pink flushed over Jonas’s skin. Sweat trickled down his back, wetting the back of his t-shirt.

“Touch me.”

Everything in Harley broke. He quickly captured Jonas’s lips and began to invade the cavern with his tongue. The kiss was so desperate and hungry, two tongues searching for an insatiable desire.

“I’m sorry,” Harley broke away with a raspy voice as he reached down and brushed Jonas’s hand aside. He hurriedly stroked the purple erection while continuing to kiss Jonas. He released his own sex from the confines of his pants. He felt Jonas gingerly touch it, exploring ever so softly.

Before long, Harley could feel Jonas begin to stiffen. He stifled the other man’s moans through deepening the kiss as wet spurts covered his hands. God, Harley could come just at hearing that beautiful sound. Harley came up for air, pumping himself while using Jonas’s cum as lubrication. It felt incredible.

“Harley,” Jonas rasped and huffed. “I know I said no… but… it’s not enough. I need…”

Jonas couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“I promised.”

“I don’t care right now.”

“You will later.”

“ _Please._ ”

_Goddammit! Why are you destroying this man, you asshole?_

With a guttural growl, Harley tore Jonas’s pants the remaining way off, followed by his own. He lifted Jonas’s shirt over his head and bit down on a nipple. Jonas cried out in ecstasy. A drop of blood came down his pectoral. Harley lapped it away, positioning himself between Jonas’s thighs. His stiffness brushed against Jonas. Jonas was still incredibly hard despite just coming.

Harley thrust his hips as he sucked, creating pleasurable friction between the two. He shared a kiss of blood with Jonas before giving attention to the other brown-pink nipple.

_He’ll hate me later._

_Just fuck him and get it over with._

_No, he’s a treasure. At least give him that._

He backed up, sticking his fingers in his mouth, wetting them. Jonas looked at him with a drowsy, sultry expression, lids half open. Carefully, Harley reached between his thighs and ran his wet fingers through Jonas’s crease, finding his hidden spot. Gently, he let a finger inside, twisting it up to the second knuckle. Jonas cried again, covering his mouth as if he were surprised to hear his own voice. He moaned behind the hand.

Soon, Harley added a second finger, stretching between the two, opening up the cavern to his attentions. He inserted a third, watching as Jonas squirmed.

“Not enough,” Jonas babbled, staring at the ceiling, rocking his head side to side, mouth agape at the stretch of his ass.

Harley wet his cock as best he could. He placed the head at Jonas’s entrance. Taking a deep breath, he slowly pushed in. Jonas’s face scrunched but he didn’t try to get away. If anything, he pushed down towards Harley. Bottoming out, fully sheathed, Harley gave Jonas a moment to adjust to his girth. This was hard enough for Jonas let alone without lube.

Harley began to rock his hips, letting the head almost pop out before thrusting it back in. Jonas panted heavily as Harley found the pleasurable ball of nerves inside him, letting his cock head rub against it with each stroke.

“Harley!” Jonas screamed his name as he came again. He hadn’t touched himself, just had let Harley fuck him into completion.

Harley followed with a few quick pumps of his hips. His seed flooded Jonas’s channel, wetting him more. Harley gasped as he reached forward and kissed Jonas again.

_He’s going to hate me more now._

_You did well._

_You made him as comfortable as you could._

_No. There’s no excuse for this_.

_It’s okay. He wanted this._

_No, it’s what_ you _wanted._

Jonas’s blue eyes closed, his racked breathing growing steadier. Harley couldn’t have wished for anything better for him. At least in Jonas’s dreams, he wouldn’t have to deal with the complete guilt and disappointment.

“Please, dream something nice.” Harley whispered into his ear before kissing the freckled temple.


	13. XIII

Dark clouds gave way to brilliant sunshine. It was going to be a beautiful day. But inside Jonas felt anything but beautiful.

Debauched. Scorched from the inside out.

 _More satisfied then you’ve ever been in your life_.

Jonas was ashamed. What had happened should not have made him feel so good. He remembered every agonizingly pleasurable thrust, each sultry stroke, and those fiery kisses. He should hate Harley. He should run away from him while he could. He stared blankly down at Harley’s sleeping form. The sunlight hadn’t woken his companion up just yet. He had time to escape. He could easily take his bag and get the heck out of dodge.

Jonas couldn’t bring himself to do it.

_I’ve stuck it out with him this long. And I’ll die if I go, right?_

Those were terrible reasons for Jonas to stick around and he was trying to rationalize his staying by them. What was wrong with him? Why did he still have the capacity to forgive Harley? And why did he want Harley to touch him again?

More than touch him – he wanted Harley inside him again. He wanted the man to dominate every inch of him.

Jonas smacked the side of his head. _Get yourself together._ Jonas couldn’t reconcile with himself. Did he ask for it? Or was something else compelling him? He pinched his arm, trying to ground himself. With a quiet yelp, he let himself go. Harley began to stir. What would he say to him? Would he want to do it again?

 

 

*

 

 

Harley woke with a start when he saw Jonas sitting up, peering down at him. He immediately got to his knees, grabbing Jonas by the shoulders.

“Oh my God,” he began to blurt out. “I am so sorry. Jonas. Sorry. Jonas. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t.” Jonas touched Harley’s hand delicately. Surprisingly, Jonas leaned forward and laid a soft kiss on Harley’s mouth. Those pink lips sent a shiver down Harley’s spine.

“Seriously, Jonas. Listen to me,” Harley implored him. “Last night, neither of us was in control.”

“The demon?” Jonas asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Pretty sure,” Harley nodded. “And there’s no spell I can cast to stop him. Not unless there’s something hidden in that library. We’ve got to get a move on. I wouldn’t put it past him to push this farther. He could easily have us do this again.”

_Is that so bad?_

_Yes!_

_What if that's what he wanted? What if he wants you? You know you want him. He could be all yours._

“Harley?” Jonas asked warily. Harley realized he’d zoned out, voices toying with his head.

“I’m sorry. I’m here,” Harley tried to offer a reassuring smile.

“Where did you go?” Jonas patted his cheek softly.

“Somewhere I hope you never follow.” Harley murmured.

 

 

 

 

************

 

 

 

 

The outskirts of a once bustling city dotted the horizon. By the afternoon, the pair would be in the heart of it. This was supposedly the city that contained the old alchemist library Harley had been looking for.

“Did this place ever have a name?” Jonas inquired.

“If it did I wouldn’t know it,” Harley puffed out a breath with a chuckle. “All I know was I came through here several years ago.”

“Did you visit this library?”

“Yeah. My mentor took me.”

“I didn’t know you had a mentor.”

“Yep. My momma dropped me at his door one day and that was that. Wouldn’t have been safe to keep me untrained. I just always thought she’d come back for me. Maybe she tried to. I don’t know. She could be dead for all I know.”

“You don’t seem terribly broken up about it,” Jonas frowned. His beautiful brows creased into an ugly V.

“I don’t remember her much. I think I was about ten when she left me. My mentor – James, that was his name – was basically like a father to me.”

“So you were a bastard, too?” Jonas smirked, face lightening up a bit.

“Never asked about it.” Harley shrugged as he admitted the truth. “I don’t know the situation. He was never there though so for the longest time I just assumed kids were spontaneously brought into the world.”

Jonas laughed at that.

“What happened to your father?” Harley asked.

“I don’t know either,” Jonas offered a smirk. “Never knew him either. And mom never talked about him.”

“Well, I guess we’re kindred spirits there,” Harley patted Jonas on the back, ruffling his green shirt.

The pair walked to the edge of the first few buildings. They took a break in the shade of a crumbling portico and shared the canteen. Jonas resisted a huge temptation to just lay his head in Harley’s lap and take a catnap.

“Something wrong?” Harley asked.

“No,” Jonas responded. “Just tired.”

“We’re almost there. You can nap when we get to the library. You’d be bored anyway while I search through the books.”

“No,” Jonas replied emphatically. “It’ll be faster if I help you.”

“You don’t know what you’re looking for. Besides, can you even read?”

“Yes.” Jonas sounded offended. “I mean, I’m no scholar but my mother taught me the basics.”

“You’re lucky,” Harley pointed to him as he took a swig of water. “A lot of civilians can’t read anymore. You gotta be an alchemist or a soldier to learn nowadays.”

“I’m assuming then that’s how you learned? From your mentor?”

“Yep. James could have been Shakespeare himself.”

“Who?”

“I’ll tell you when we have time.”

 

*

 

 

Jonas was surprised the library still stood. The outsides looked scorched as if a fire had ravaged it at some point. If there was a sign, it was no longer there, either taken down or burned away. The doors had long ago rotted away and fallen off their hinges. Somehow, the cement blocks had held all these years.

There was little ornamentation. Whether that was by design or destruction, Jonas couldn’t tell. Harley wasted no time leading them into the cavernous room. Shelves had collapsed in some places; books sprawled all over the floor and dust clung everywhere. The windows barely let in light they were so caked with dirt. Harley lit a few candles.

“How are there books even left?” Jonas asked.

“The alchemists put a charm on this place,” Harley explained as he began to look at book titles and sort them. “Prevents paper from burning. Quite handy for a place like this.”

“Then why didn’t people just take the books outside?”

“Can’t.”

“Can’t?”

“Can’t.” Harley confirmed. He stood and walked with a book to the open door. He slung it at the gaping hole. The book bounced back like it had hit a wall.

“Must have been a security measure at first but it ended up saving the contents of this place.” Harley spoke with a satisfied grin.

“You’re starting to make me jealous, Mr. Alchemist,” Jonas put his hands on his hips. “Wish I could cast some spells.”

“Eh, it has its drawbacks, too. Case and point – us.” Harley straightened up, wiping dust on his pants. He scanned the large room. It was only one floor but it was massive. There had to be hundreds of shelves and thousands of books. Somehow it had seemed so easy in Harley’s mind. If James were here he could probably find the answer lickety-split. Although, honestly, James probably would have known the answer without a book’s help.

Harley tried to call on what he remembered of the place, if he could recall where some things were located. But it had been so long, so many years. It was like looking at a completely new place again. Not to mention, it appeared like some things had been moved since his last visit almost twenty years ago.

“Where should I start?” Jonas asked.

“We’re going to have to start from square one, I guess. Just start stacking and sorting everything until we find something of interest.”

“What should I look for?”

“Anything having to do with demons or spell removal would be a good start. With any luck we’ll have an answer by winter.”

They both laughed, a mix of humor and sobering reality.

 


	14. XIV

At some point Jonas must have fallen asleep amongst the stacks of dusty tomes. They had worked tirelessly into the night, sorting books by content into stacks that soon became piles, the piles eventually turning into their own section of the library. In another lifetime, maybe the two had been librarians. They were starting to get unusually good at this.

Jonas had fallen asleep by the pile of books on basic medicine and healing techniques. He had stopped periodically to scan the books, looking at the drawings and diagrams. In some ways, he really was envious of Harley. Harley could probably do any of the things in here. And Jonas was… Well, powerless. When had he started thinking of Harley with reverence, like he was the protector of the two? Harley had yet to save him from something. And if anything, Harley himself was probably Jonas’s biggest enemy. It had been Harley to do all these things from the moment they met. He may not have meant it. He may not have been in control. But it was Harley alone who had set this in motion. Yet, somehow, Jonas found himself forgiving Harley again and again, thinking of him as a shield.

Jonas stretched his stiff limbs, knocking over a pile on accident. He grumbled at his clumsiness but was in no mood to pick it up right now. Standing with a sleepy wobble, he went in search of his companion. He had no trouble finding Harley. He wasn’t far away and clearly still awake as he thumbed through a small blue book.

“Did you sleep at all?” Jonas startled him. Jonas hadn’t tried to sneak up on him. Although, Harley was really entrenched deep in what he was reading.

“No,” Harley murmured, following a line of words with his finger. He slammed the book shut with a dissatisfied grunt and threw it into a messy heap of rejects. Harley ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. The morning’s stubble on his chin added an extra layer of appeal to him that Jonas hadn’t noticed before. He imagined what it would feel like running his hands on the rough hairs, the beginnings of a beard tickling his face as they kissed.

Jonas squeezed his eyes shut and willed his body to stay calm. They had a job to do. There wasn’t time to think about sex. Especially since that sex was linked to a demon. And Harley had made no secret of his disdain for giving energy to the creature.

“I take it you’ve had no luck,” Jonas trying to focus on the task at hand.

“Every time I feel like I’ve found something good, it turns out to be a bust.” Harley groaned, fingering the stack of books he had yet to touch with a lackluster expression. He was dog-tired.

“Rest,” Jonas commanded. “I’ll keep going while you sleep.”

“I can’t sleep. Not until I’ve made some progress.”

“You’re not going to make any if you fall over exhausted.”

“Don’t care. I can’t stop yet.”

Jonas grabbed him by the forearms.

“Yes. You. Will.” He punctuated each word. “You are of no use to us if you can’t focus. Rest. Eat something. The books aren’t going anywhere.”

“But _we’re_ running out of time,” Harley whined. Jonas hadn’t really considered that and took a step back. _Time._ Time wasn’t unlimited. Harley had warned him that they had to finish the Drawing soon but he hadn’t really paid attention. He always just assumed Harley would take care of everything, that Harley knew what he was doing.

“So we complete the Drawing,” Jonas began. “What then?”

“Then our demon friend has a permanent line of energy, direct from the bank of Jonas.”

Jonas clamped his mouth shut. This was supposed to be an increase in energy for Harley, so Harley could protect him. Instead, they were increasing the power of a demon. Harley’s strength had grown somewhat but the demon was destroying his full potential.

“Still,” Jonas argued. “You’ll do no good passed out from fatigue. Sleep a little, okay?” Jonas tried to give him a soft smile.

“Did I tell you, you’re cute when you smile?” Harley grinned but his eyes were drowsy.

“No,” Jonas rolled his eyes. “But you can tell me about it later.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

********

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrapped up in a blanket, Harley snoozed while Jonas rummaged through the stack of books Harley had been working on. It was fascinating, looking at all the different spells and concoctions and some rather curious drawings.

Harley had been working through books based on legends and mythology, the spells accompanying them involving warding, summoning – that’s probably where he learned how to get that demon here -, binding, and enchantment. He was a slow reader, but Jonas would pause and read some pages if a title or diagram caught his interest. There was plenty in the books about summoning or warding off demons. Jonas could find nothing relating to demonic magic and trades. Maybe he wasn’t looking for the right words? He almost stopped to ask Harley but heard a loud snore and thought better of it. _Let him rest._ He was the one who had insisted on Harley going to sleep anyway.

Jonas set down the green book in his hand and reached for a large, red one. He thumbed through it casually, not really having any high hopes or expectations but enjoying the knowledge he gleaned from the pages. Maybe he would finally understand some of that alchemist jargon Harley was always spouting off.

He was almost to the back of the book when he paused at a title. _Demonic Possession._ It was worth a glance or two. Jonas read about different cases where demons had come to possess various hosts, from humans to cattle. Some were extremely graphic. There was one case where a demon had possessed a bull and raped a woman. The Greeks had blamed Zeus for the deed.

As he read story after story, he was starting to think that the article was nothing more than a narrative. But the next subtitle made him really linger. _Expelling a Demonic Possession_. Jonas’s stomach lurched with excitement. Maybe something was useful here after all. His eyes scanned each paragraph, looking for information about how to rid of Harley of the demon. This may have not been a classic case of true possession, where the demon fully took over but there was a little relation between the book and what was happening to Harley. A demon resided in him, no matter how small. And it may be in Jonas as well. Harley had said the blood exchange might have caused it.

Jonas looked at the rather horrifying pictures, illustrating the process of a demon expulsion. His expression was somber as he read the words accompanying the images.

 

_Demons can be expelled in one of three ways. The first and least common_ _method is the demon leaving of free will. The demon decides to free its host and leave of its own volition._

_The most common expulsion is through death. Demons cannot live in a dead host. If the host is killed, the demon immediately leaves the body._

_Alternatively, demons can leave through birth. Pregnancy causes a transfer of the demon energy into a fetus that frees the original host. The child will die immediately, once born, sending the demon back into its original realm._

 

Jonas frowned deeply at the text. Of the options, the first was the most realistic and favorable. Of course, the book didn’t delve into describing _how_ to make a demon leave of its own will. Death couldn’t be an option. Jonas wouldn’t let it become one. And birth was out of the question as they were both men. Instead of finding a solution, Jonas felt like he had just given them more research to do.

He sighed and dog-eared the page, hanging his head between his knees. Why did he have such limited options?

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

Harley stirred. He felt like he hadn’t slept a wink, but based on the position of the sun, he must have at least slept from morning until late afternoon. Jonas sat with a book in his lap, just staring blankly at the cover.

“Find something interesting?” Harley smiled softly as he stretched.

“Actually,” Jonas nodded. “Yeah. But it’s not very comforting.” Jonas handed the red book to Harley, motioning to the dog-eared page. Harley read the page in silence, taking in what Jonas’s had meant. Not comforting at all.

“I would prefer if neither of us died,” Harley tried to laugh but there was no mirth to it. Jonas smiled back weakly.

“So, any plans to convince him to leave?” Jonas asked.

“None whatsoever,” Harley puffed and fell back against an empty shelf. “I suppose we need to search for _that_ now.”

“I figured as much,” Jonas nodded. “I started making a stack while you slept.” He motioned to a growing pile. The titles were still demon related.

“I have some promising leads,” Jonas leaned over and started moving around the books in the stack, handing Harley a few at a time. “But I’ve been wrong before.” He shrugged.

“We’re in the same boat there,” Harley smirked. “Thank you though. You’ve done quite a bit already.”

“I’m pretty much invested in this as much as you are,” Jonas laid back next to Harley against the bookshelf. Their shoulders and elbows brushed. They sat there quietly, watching dust streams float across the ceiling where precious sunlight broke through the dingy windows.

Harley’s eyes strayed to the bite mark on Jonas’s neck. It was still bright red compared to the brown freckles dotting around them. Compulsion and need overtook him. He leaned over and kissed the mark, licking up to Jonas’s ear. Jonas slowly turned to look at him. His blue eyes deepened.

“Quick kiss and back to work,” Jonas spoke with a breathy voice. It was weird wanting this. Jonas had wanted Harley away for so long and now he really, truly wanted that touch of lips, skin-to-skin contact. Harley nodded and closed the distance. Their teeth gnashed and tore at each other, drawing faint lines of blood. They both sucked greedily at the trickle and broke a part with a wet pop. Their eyes appeared dazed as they studied each other.

“C’mon,” Jonas nudged him. “We have work to do.”


	15. XV

The books painted shadows on the walls as candles flickered into the evening hush. The stacks’ shadows seemed to sway with the waver of each tiny flame. Harley and Jonas had grown tired long ago. Now Harley’s blurry eyes barely comprehended the text and imagery. Jonas had fallen asleep, inadvertently curling up in Harley’s lap. Jonas appeared to be warming up to him, but Harley knew Jonas wouldn’t have just collapsed onto his thighs if he were awake enough to realize what he was doing.

Harley let his fingers drift from the book’s cover to Jonas’s back, lazily drawing circles on his shoulder blades. The quiet moment was quite enjoyable for him. For a moment, it didn’t feel like time was weighing heavily on them, that a demon wasn’t constantly murmuring at the back of his mind. Harley had somehow found a way to banish the demon’s words to the deepest place of his head through sheer will. Every touch to Jonas had been stained with the force of the demon. Harley had to cherish this moment because he _knew_ he was in control of his touches, that his want for the other man was not the demon’s.

What would life be like if none of this had happened? Harley contemplated their complicated history. Their rocky beginning blemished the short few months they had known each other, and a demon tarnished the rest. By some means, Jonas and Harley had managed to gain some genuine affection for one another. It was by no means love but Harley would be damned if this demon or any other person hurt Jonas. Knowing where Jonas had come from, what he had been through, he resolved that he would protect Jonas from whatever came their way. He may not be the most effective protector, but he would become better. He needed to.

 

 

*

 

 

After a time, Harley decided to return to his research. Jonas would continue to sleep peacefully if he sat still, reading quietly. Placing the book he had had in his hand into the reject pile, he reached for a dark green leather-bound text sitting off to the side of the stack he had yet to tackle. There was some alchemical script about demons on the outside cover but no other markings.

He began to thumb through the pages, many with tears from years of use and abuse. If it had been touched so often that it was in this state, then maybe it was useful. Pristine books were a waste of time; a beautiful book was a mark of worthlessness.

Harley noticed right away not a lick of it was in English. Everything was in the old-fashioned alchemist script. That would have kept an average human from being able to read it. Intrigued, he flipped through chapters, looking at headings. At first, he was sure the book was similar to what he had already rejected, the titles of chapters being about summoning and banishment with no real detail or spells to accompany it. As he came to the center of the book, a drawing stopped him in his tracks.

 _Sex Demons_. Harley’s eyes lit up at the heading. The drawing showed various demons with sexual powers. One drawing in particular caught his eye – one that looked _exactly_ like the lust demon they were dealing with. Most of the drawings had script to designate their names. This one’s had been smudged. Whether on purpose or by time, Harley wasn’t sure but it warranted suspicion. Why would anyone want to eradicate its name?

Luckily, most of the description of it remained in tact. A few words were smudged here or there but they seemed insignificant in understanding the paragraph. Most of the information was common sense if one had dealt with this demon: requests of trades, abnormal levels of sexual desire, lack of bodily control. But the last few bits surprised Harley.

_Trades are meant to gather the items necessary to create a human body, one that the demon can use to walk among ordinary people. With a human body, the demon can work more easily to gather their energy source because summoning is no longer required._

“Making a body?” Harley mumbled with curiosity. Not thinking about Jonas still slumbering on his lap, he immediately stood up to move to a different set of shelves. Jonas thunked on the floor with a growl, griping at Harley for moving. Jonas quieted quickly though when he saw Harley’s intense gaze on the rows of books.

Harley’s hands reached out and snagged a large, atlas sized cream-colored book. For once, Harley knew exactly what he was looking for. He brought the book to a table that still stood, albeit wobbly, and scanned the table of contents for a specific section. Harley knew this book fairly well. James had spent some time teaching him about demon spells. While Harley couldn’t use demon spells himself, James had insisted he should know basic demon spells so he could counter them. James had an extreme paranoia regarding demonic presences. Harley had never understood it but secretly thanked the gods for James’s paranoia now.

Frantically flipping pages, Harley landed on just what he wanted. The page was all about demon bodies. There was information regarding demons as they existed in their realm but also information about demons that had created human bodies to walk amongst people.

There was a spell with a list of ingredients. Harley spat at it. It was horrendous and made things clear at the same time.

The list was simple:

_Hair for beauty._

_Teeth for speech._

_Blood for vitality._

_Bone for structure._

_Skin for cover._

_Newborn for soul._

It made him sick. And Harley had first-hand knowledge that the demon had at least gotten one of the items on the list. Jonas peeked over his shoulder, looking down at the page with him. Harley said nothing as he gave Jonas time to read. Jonas’s eyes showed recognition after a moment. He looked to Harley gravely.

“Cross one off,” Jonas pointed to the phrase about teeth.

“Maybe two.” Harley let clarity dawn on him. He pointed to _blood_. “Our blood probably made up the second piece.”

“But he doesn’t have our hair or bones or skin,” Jonas protested.

“Doesn’t have to be from just one source,” Harley rubbed his temples in anger at himself. He really had screwed this up without even knowing. James had warned him so many times about dealing with demons. But Harley had been young and brash, trying to prove all of what James had said wrong.

“What about the _newborn_?” Jonas asked warily. “He has to… killa baby?”

“Seems like it,” Harley nodded grimly. “There’s a catch to it though… All of these have to be given freely.”

“Like hell I gave _him_ my blood!” Jonas spat.

“You didn’t have to,” Harley frowned and held his head in his hands. “You let me take it and he’s in me. When you gave it to me, you also gave it to him.”

“And you willingly traded your teeth,” Jonas stated flatly.

“Yes. So if he receives these other items freely, he can assume human form. No telling how many people he will mess with and steal their life energy if he accomplishes it. Not to mention the way he controls people. If he got to the head of one of the armies or someone else with power, he could do anything he wanted.”

“Who would willingly trade their child?” Jonas cringed.

“There’s always someone,” Harley blanched at the thought.

Harley left the book open and stepped back. The air around him caused the thin pages to flutter briefly.

“But if he can get this stuff from anybody…” Jonas whispered. “Why is he inside you?”

“He said a part of him came with the trade. Got him the blood easy enough, didn’t it? I think he’s trying to see how much he can do without having to work for it.”

“So what now?” Jonas smacked a shelf in frustration. “What can we do?”

“I’m really not sure. I thought we would get an answer to stopping this but I was happier being ignorant,” Harley snorted. “I’m sure our lovely demon friend will benefit from us finishing the Drawing. We have to tonight or you’ll start decaying.”

Jonas gulped.

“We’ll make him stronger by doing,” Harley stepped up to Jonas. “But if he doesn’t have all of the ingredients then at least we can concentrate his power to us. There still may be a solution.”

Jonas didn’t want to die slowly from the incomplete spell. As much as he hated the idea of creating a free line of energy for the demon, he couldn’t stop him from creating a body if he was dead. Resolutely but somberly, Jonas nodded his assent. They would finish it tonight. It was all they could do for the time being.


	16. XVI

Harley spent the rest of the afternoon clearing and preparing a space for the final step of the Drawing. As Harley described it, this was the phase that really gave the Drawing its name. Part of Jonas’s soul would be drawn into Harley and absorbed as a part of his system, allowing him a stable and secure connection to Jonas’s powers. Jonas watched as Harley swept the space in the middle of the library clean. Luckily, the broom closet still had its namesake.

Throughout the afternoon, the old stone floor became decorated with circles upon circles of alchemical symbols, finally reaching at least twenty-five feet in diameter. Harley carefully sprinkled more of the spell powder on the symbols he had drawn, spreading it over the entire figure. Harley worked swiftly but quietly as he prepared each portion of the spell with a careful hand. Jonas wanted to ask what certain things meant or what they did but abruptly shut his mouth as he watched how intense Harley was working.

Sweat poured off of Harley as the sun finally began to set. Jonas quietly lit some candles, setting them on various tables to allow Harley to check his work. Every so often, Harley would smudge out a character and redraw it or scoot the black powder closer to a certain area. It simultaneously fascinated and frightened Jonas to watch it all. How Harley could recall such an intricate and complex spell was amazing but it only brought home the reality that this was about to happen. Harley would in essence be _taking_ his soul. At least a portion of it anyway.

Harley had given Jonas a few instructions on what to do. Mostly, Jonas was just told to do what Harley asked, no questions. And he braced himself for the expectation that his body would be used as the conduit to draw off part of the soul. Sex was integral to the process.

Jonas shook with anticipation when Harley finally backed away from the circle. The blonde stared at his work from a distance, wiping sweat from his forehead. Without preamble, Harley began to strip. Jonas blushed madly. He knew Harley’s body, had seen it plenty of times before, but this was new and unusual. He was giving him sex in order to work a spell.

Jonas fumbled with the buttons on his black shirt. Harley had piled his shirt and jeans off to the side, striding silently over to Jonas and helping him work open the buttons. Jonas eventually slid his hands to his side, letting Harley do the work. When his shirt was off, Harley pulled him up by his forearm and began working on his jeans. Harley pecked him on the lips, trying to calm Jonas’s trembling. Jonas was quaking, a mixture of desire and fear wracking his body. When his jeans slid down and away, he began to tense, knowing the spell would soon begin to take shape. Harley gave him the best calm, collected smile he could as he led Jonas by his hand into the middle of the giant circle. Gently, he pushed Jonas to his knees. The black powder felt like sand rubbing on raw skin. Despite his discomfort, Jonas stayed put and said nothing.

Harley seemed to freeze for a moment, holding Jonas’s head against his stomach in a loving, protective gesture. Maybe Harley was just as scared as he was. But if the hard erection was any indication, Harley was feeling the strength of desire between them just as heavily as Jonas was.

Soon, Harley sank down to his own knees and gave Jonas another soft kiss. Gingerly, he lifted Jonas’s hands and placed them palm up on his thighs. Harley stroked the skin of the delicate skin underneath and placed his own hands on Jonas’s arms, letting the dot and open circle on their wrists connect. Jonas instantly felt the Master Connection set in place. His skin instantly felt like it was ablaze and his cock thickened. Jonas peeked at Harley’s face, seeing Harley’s eyes scrunched in concentration. A sizzle came up the back of his neck and felt like a wiggle in his brain. The instinct to smack his own head was tantalizing but he couldn’t move. Their connection kept Jonas frozen to the spot.

Time crept by as Jonas watched Harley. The man barely moved but was obviously at work in his own head. Suddenly, the symbols surrounding them began to glow a light purple. Jonas’s heart sped up. When Harley’s eyes finally opened, they warred between their natural color and demonic gold. The sizzle abruptly snapped as Harley disconnected their arms to reach for Jonas’s shoulders, pulling him into a brutalizing kiss. Jonas allowed him that as their teeth gnashed and tongues dueled for dominance. Before long, Harley had Jonas on the glowing ground, back grinding against more spell powder. Jonas forgot to breathe as he took in Harley’s beautiful form accentuated by the ethereal glow of the room.

Harley brushed his fingers against Jonas’s face, kissing again but more tenderly. He shifted his body so his full weight was across Jonas, pressing them together so there was no escape from the rigid desire nestled between them. Jonas wanted more. He adored these kisses but his body screamed for friction, for movement. Harley reached between their legs and lightly squeezed Jonas’s balls. Jonas let out a small moan of surprise. His eyes pleaded for Harley to continue.

In his lust-filled trance, Harley began to slowly stroke Jonas from root to tip. Jonas’s hole clenched, begging to be filled. Without words, Harley knew what Jonas wanted. He backed down Jonas’s body, drawing Jonas into his mouth as his fingers began to trace around the puckered entrance. Jonas couldn’t stop his cry of joy. And his cries grew louder as Harley’s fingers began to press and stretch. When Harley touched the ball of nerves inside him, Jonas felt like he would come. As he was about to warn Harley, Harley let go of him and removed his fingers.

Jonas wanted to shout at him to keep going, frustration at being abruptly let go overwhelming his senses. He didn't have to wait long. In a painful but satisfying thrust, Harley had completely sheathed himself inside Jonas. Harley wasn’t going to take it easy tonight and Jonas wouldn’t have had it any other way. Harley set a punishing pace, his rhythm steadily growing faster and more erratic. Jonas clung to him, wrapping his hands around Harley’s neck and allowing Harley to do whatever he wanted.

Harley pulled out momentarily, flipped Jonas onto his hands and knees, and resumed the pace. Jonas didn’t care that the powder scratched his hands, that his head as he lowered it to the floor was covered in black specks. He moaned and writhed with each thrust, repeating Harley’s name like a prayer.

Harley gave little indication other than a low growl as he spilled his seed inside Jonas. Jonas shuddered in pleasure and allowed the warmth to fill him. As Harley finished, he reached to stroke himself to completion. Harley would have none of it. He picked Jonas up so they were back to chest, using his large hand to pump Jonas’s aching cock. Jonas panted as the pleasure increased and he began to feel the base of his spine tingle. The tingle rushed to his sac, causing Jonas to roar out his completion. As soon as the come touched the ground, the purple glow flared brilliantly into bright bluish-white. Jonas squinted his eyes shut, still riding the aftershocks and barely registering as Harley pushed him forward, using his fingers to draw on Jonas’s spine.

A light searing followed Harley’s touch but fled almost instantaneously. The glowing began to dim until the room was completely shrouded in darkness. The only sounds were the two of them panting. Jonas could hear Harley mumble a string of words as he retraced Jonas’s back. The searing lit up for a moment before dissipating again. Then Harley backed away, flopping onto the concrete floor in pure exhaustion.

Even through the darkness, Jonas found his way to Harley’s side. He felt an uncontrollable need to touch and be touched despite having just been fucked into oblivion. Harley pet his damp hair, offering no words of endearment but allowing his touch to convey his satisfaction and affection.

“Harley,” Jonas whispered, wrapping his arm around the blonde man’s torso. Jonas didn’t know what he wanted to say. He felt something deep, a connection to this man that he hadn’t felt before. Or maybe this was the first time he was willing to acknowledge it.

Harley turned his head in the dark and found Jonas’s forehead, peppering kisses lazily across his face, as if he were trying to kiss each freckle in turn.

“I love you,” Harley whispered into his ear. Jonas’s heart leapt a mile in the air. Harley had used the _L_ word.

“You don’t have to say it back,” Harley tried to stifle a yawn. His words were soft and kind, like he knew he was admitting to something Jonas didn’t feel for himself. “I just wanted you to know.”

“I…” Jonas choked. He knew he desired Harley. Sex with him was incredible. But did he truly love him?

“Don’t,” Harley shushed him softly. “If you truly mean it, you’ll say it when you’re ready.” Jonas nodded dumbly but still enjoyed the sweet hold Harley had on him, the gentle fingers that stroked his fiery skin still hot and sensitive from their lovemaking. Jonas wanted to deny it was truly _lovemaking_. It had been done for a purpose, not love, hadn’t it? Or could it have been one and the same?

“Don’t stop touching me,” Jonas murmured. Harley chuckled and was only too happy to comply. The afterglow would fade and reality would set back in eventually. For now, Jonas wanted to enjoy the closeness and forget about the demon that could ruin all of this.


	17. XVII

Harley awoke knowing something was wrong. His protective instincts had heightened after the Drawing had been completed. Light filled the library with the morning sun but Harley could tell something was distinctly off. A scuffle here and there, the noise innocuous to most people, made him clench to Jonas like a shield. Jonas could feel his tight hold and woke groggily. Seeing Harley’s worried expression, he went on high alert as well. Harley signaled for him to stay quiet as he crept to a dirty lower window. The dust was too caked on for him to see any details but shadow after shadow quietly moved past, only the barest rustle of shoes against ground a signal to their presence.

Harley’s heart thundered in his chest. There was only one group of people who moved in such large groups with this much stealth and it was the last one Jonas or Harley wanted to see. Harley returned to Jonas and they dressed quickly and quietly. The soldiers outside may not be aware of them inside. Best if they kept it that way. How they would leave without being spotted, Harley was still trying to work out in his head.

The missing front doors let the morning stream in, as well as potentially signaling the soldiers to their location. But somehow they still hadn’t noticed them. With any luck, they could slip out undetected. The windows would surely squeak and rattle too much to be a good exit. And the front door was too obvious. There was a back door that led out into the old library gardens. Harley figured it was worth a try. It appeared that the soldiers were mostly located on the west side of the building, which would be opposite where they wanted to leave.

Hoping for the best, Harley led Jonas as silently as they could to the garden door. It was rotted and old but hadn’t burned like the front ones. Through the cracks in the wood, Harley peered out into the overgrowth. He saw no people or shadows. Taking this as a good sign, he let the door swing open gently. He pulled Jonas out into the sunlight, leading him to the garden gates. The old rusted iron wasn’t locked, thankfully. Harley cautiously looked around the bend. He could still make out movement on the west side but didn’t hear or see anything on their end.

A large crack exploded from nowhere. The sound reverberated through the air and screamed in Jonas’s ears. Harley’s hand instantly yanked at the sound. Jonas screamed as Harley fell away and hit the ground. A blossom of crimson burst out from Harley’s shoulder, leaving a wet, sticky puddle on the busted concrete. Jonas instantly buckled and touched the wound like he couldn’t believe it was real. Jonas could not make sense of the situation. The circle of red looked like a gunshot wound but he saw no one. Scratches of leather against ceramic tile made his head jerk to the top of the library. A soldier dropped from a parapet to the back side of the building. Jonas scrambled to haul Harley up. Soldiers knew they were over here and escaping. It wasn’t just his fear. He knew Harley would never want to be in the hands of these monsters. The flash of blue uniform made Jonas’s adrenaline surge even harder. Northern soldiers would surely decimate the two of them.

Jonas stumbled as he tried to move Harley away. Harley groaned and spat in pain, unaware of the situation. Jonas wanted to cry but couldn’t. This couldn’t be happening. He wouldn’t fathom the consequences of being caught. He all but drug Harley several streets over. When he couldn’t take the other man’s weight any longer, he lowered him and began to rip off his shirt in order to wrap Harley’s wound. The bullet was still in there but there was nothing Jonas could do right now besides stem the bleeding.

Harley was drifting in an out of consciousness, mumbling incoherently under his breath. Jonas tapped his cheek, trying to keep the man awake.

“Please, stay with me, Harley,” Jonas begged. Jonas turned his head abruptly as shouts and angry boots echoed through the alley. Jonas tried to pick Harley up again but was slammed against the wall by several gloved hands. He shouted and tried to twist as arms grabbed at him, hauling him away from Harley. A flurry of blue uniforms swarmed over the pair, grabbing, smacking, and gripping at both men. Jonas couldn’t make out their chorus of shouts and orders. He was kicked in the side twice as his hands were bound together. Harley was out as a group pulled him up and away from Jonas. Jonas shouted for his lover, spitting at the men holding him down.

A man smacked him across the face, making Jonas see stars. They began to hustle him out of the alley, pushing and shoving him in different directions. He was surrounded by soldiers, not allowing him to see more than glimpses of the area around him. And no Harley. Dear God, where were they taking him? What would they do to him?

 

 

*

 

 

Jonas could hear the roar of an engine and was abruptly flung into darkness. Two soldiers still held on to him. The metal cavern he found himself in vibrated before bouncing off. Jonas felt sick. Only the armies had access to vehicles and oil anymore. They would drive off with him to God knew where and what then? They could easily fingerprint ID him and identify him as a defector and runaway. Surely, the minimum sentence would be a good beating. What else could happen, he had no clue nor did he want to dwell on it. Harley would probably be killed. An alchemist and a Lower would not bode well to the Northerns.

Jonas gulped and held back the tears threatening to fall. How had it all gone to shit so fast? And now that they were separated, how could they find a solution to their demon problem? Despite his will to not cry, his eyes watered up and he felt a drop fall away. He received a swift smack to the mouth for his whimper.

“Shut up, you!” the soldier barked.

Jonas stared wide-eyed at the man, wanting to shove him out the back of the truck. How dare he belittle his concern for his lover and his own future?

They had used a sturdy length of rope to bind his hands behind his back. Jonas continued to twist his hands until they were raw but the rope never gave an inch. They bounced around on the crumbling roads for what felt like hours. At one point, they had hit such a rough bump that Jonas’s head smacked against the metal siding, knocking him unconscious for a bit. By the time he came to, they were hauling him out by arms and legs to a non-descript brick building.

“Fresh meat, boys!” A barking laugh heralded their arrival into the building. Jonas couldn’t get a good look at anything as wickedly grinning soldiers stared him down and blocked his view. Some touched him crudely while others just shrugged him off. He began his struggle anew, earning fresh punches to his face and abdomen.

Eventually, the soldiers brought him to a room that was stark white. A black desk occupied the corner with a lithe soldier manning the station. He tapped at a white keyboard. Jonas had never seen a working computer before. But his fascination with the machine was shadowed by the soldiers’ rough treatment. They shoved him around and slammed his hand onto a scanning bed. The scanner lit up and glowed for a moment. A whir started before a chime echoed from the computer. The soldier behind the desk hit a few keys and then smirked softly.

“He’s a runner,” he announced. “Belonged to Squad B-70009. Not a soldier though. This one’s an SL-1.”

Jonas cringed at the term. He hadn’t heard it since his last captivity with the Northern squadron. The code designated his position as a body slave.

“Makes sense,” a burly man squeezed Jonas’s chin painfully. “He’s a pretty one, all right.”

“We ain’t had any 1s in awhile!” Another one laughed. “Gonna have a good time tonight!”

“Have your fun,” the lithe soldier shrugged. “Lieutenant will probably beat his ass good later so enjoy it before it’s ripped a part.”

The group guffawed and Jonas felt like he would throw up.

_I said never again._

The man at the desk waved them off and opened a locked door with a tap of his keys. The two soldiers pushed him into a room that was similar to the last one but had a pallet in a corner.

“Be back for your sweet ass later,” the big one promised. They hadn’t bothered to untie him before the door locked shut with a mechanical snick.


	18. XVIII

The men didn’t come back that evening. Jonas sent a silent thank you to the gods above but the racking of nerves didn’t dissipate. They may not be here tonight but surely soon they would be in here, having their way with him.

Jonas had managed to, albeit painfully, pull his arms over his head. They were still bound tight but at least now he could lie on his back on the uncomfortable mound of cloth. The room was agonizingly bright white. The color shocked his senses, forcing him to close his eyes to be rid of it. A window in the middle of the high walls was the only source of light. Had it been lower, he would have made an escape. But the walls were perfectly smooth. They would provide no grip for him to scale towards the window. He was good and stuck until he could find an out. However, the soldier at the desk would probably have a replacement by this hour and the station was most likely manned twenty-four hours a day. Of what Jonas could recall from his time with the Northern soldiers from before, there was _always_ somebody on duty. So escape out the front door seemed as unlikely as the window.

Jonas had alternated between fitful naps and bouts of utter despair since he had been brought here. His face still burned from the smacks earlier. Luckily, nothing felt broken.

His mind wandered to Harley. Jonas wanted to know what had become of him. Was he already dead? Jonas let a stray tear fall. He pleaded with his soul for Harley to live. The uncertainty was killing him. However, deep down, Jonas felt that Harley wasn’t gone just yet. Something in the back of his mind told him that the other man still lived. Jonas wanted to trust that voice but also knew it could be disastrous for him to hope.

With bound hands, Jonas wiped at his wet face.

 

 

 

 

******

 

 

 

 

Night had passed uneventfully. No one had visited Jonas, which made him suspicious. He had fully expected a few of the men to come and rape him. But he was still untouched as gray dawn gave way to a morning of mixed clouds and sunshine. Jonas stared at his high window, watching the shapes of white fluff stretch and bend with the wind. He was startled out of his cloud watching by a bang of the door opening swiftly. Jonas lifted his head in fear and surprise, trying to glimpse the intruder.

A man about his height and weight stood in the doorway. He wore the same blue uniform as the other soldiers but had his sleeves rolled up. A triple slash of gold crossed his shoulder. He had raven hair cropped artfully just below his ears. A silver watch gleamed with the patches of sun, nearly blinding Jonas with flashes of white.

“Sit up,” the man commanded in a smooth tenor. It was clear that he was used to giving orders. Jonas struggled to obey. His time with soldiers before had taught him to follow instructions quickly lest he be punished in some horrific way. The man knelt next to him, making direct eye contact. Jonas’s heart rushed into his throat. The man looked like he would swallow him up with those perfect green eyes.

He cowered while the man sized him up. Any number of things could be going through this soldier’s head. He simply could be deciding the best way to dispose of him, wash his hands of the runaway.

Instead, the man said nothing and stood again. Jonas wasn’t sure what to make of him. Jonas shook when the man called out a name to the door. The big man from last night entered with a smirk on his face.

“Lieutenant,” he saluted.

“Wipe the grin off, Curry,” the Lieutenant commanded. Curry quickly assumed a flat expression.

“Make sure no one touches SL1-245,” he ordered Curry. Jonas instantly gagged to get his attention. He hated his alphanumerical identification. It pissed him off to hear it again.

“I have a name, _asshole_ ,” Jonas spat.

“Of course,” the Lieutenant conceded grudgingly. “But it doesn’t matter here.” He resumed his conversation with Curry.

“That includes you, too, Curry,” the man spoke with an edge as he ended his instructions. Curry looked like he was going to say something in response but the Lieutenant held up a hand for silence. “I know your type. Take a pass and go find a different SL-1. I’ll even give you two passes after you are relieved of duty this evening. But this one is to remain untouched.”

The solider nodded, sending a glare Jonas’s way as he was quickly dismissed. Jonas wanted to say something akin to a thank you to the Lieutenant, but he could sense there was more than just good will at work here. His suspicions were corroborated as the Lieutenant returned to face him.

“Don’t get any ideas,” he spoke harshly, resettling on his knees and drawing out a pocketknife. Jonas squirmed, assuming he was about to be cut or stabbed.

“Hold still,” the man snapped. He cut into the ropes binding Jonas’s wrists and freed him. Jonas instantly glowered at the skin that was broken and red wringing his arms. The Lieutenant took the cut rope and stood again.

“I need you healthy and whole,” the man said. Jonas’s heart fell. The only reason these men wanted someone healthy was in order to break them even harder.

Without another word or glance, the Lieutenant left, sealing Jonas back in the silent, white room. Jonas could hear nothing, not even the man’s footsteps as he walked away.

 

 

*

 

 

The door had a slot that was perfectly smooth and well set. Twice a day, it opened and food dropped in. Jonas refused the first meal. But by the end of the day he was hungry enough to nibble on the evening fare. It was nothing much, some stale bread, dried meat, and water. The next morning he was given something that resembled a biscuit and warm milk. It tasted bland but he ate it begrudgingly. Perhaps they were rewarding him for eating his morning meal. At dinner, the same bread and meat from yesterday was dropped in but this time it was accompanied by a piece of fruit Jonas didn’t recognize. He sniffed it cautiously. The peel was waxy and hard. Not sure if he should eat it or not, he tried to peel it off with his finger. When it wouldn’t give, he bit into it. The inside was crunchy and sweet, the peel nothing once it was in his mouth.

They continued to give him a piece of fruit with his dinner for the next few days. Jonas wanted to be suspicious of it but it was the best tasting thing they gave him. So he ate and continued to receive the treat.

The Lieutenant was back to check on him by the week’s end. Jonas had done his best to count and remember sunsets and sunrises to keep track of the days. They eyed each other, perhaps both of them wondering what the other one was thinking. The Lieutenant broke the silence.

“You look much better than when you came in,” he remarked gruffly. Jonas nodded although he had no way of knowing. There was no mirror. He could see his arms had almost healed from the rope burns but it wasn’t much comfort. The man began to size him up like a head of cattle.

“So what do you plan to do with me?” Jonas finally hedged, a hard glare in his eyes. “I’m an SL-1. Why are you keeping your men away?”

“Saving you for something greater,” he retorted. “Those meat heads will fuck anything that moves. We have enough SL-1s on base to keep them satisfied. They just want something different. No, you’re too important for that.”

“How so?” Jonas ground out.

The Lieutenant changed subjects abruptly.

“Tell me about that alchemist you were with.”

“Why?”

“I said, tell me who he is!” he yelled loud enough Jonas swore the walls shook.

“I won’t betray him like that!”

“Not if it affects you, I’m sure,” he shrugged, regaining his composure, swiping a hand over the mass of dark hair. “But what about him, hmm? He’s in limbo right now. You just answer a few simple questions for me and I can set up his freedom.”

“He’s… alive?” Jonas croaked.

“Yes, but I can’t guarantee that in the long run if you shelter what you know.”

Jonas didn’t know what to do. A few questions couldn’t hurt, right? And he said he would let Harley go. But how could he confirm it and not just take this guy’s word for it? He could easily be lying and manipulating him.

“You promise? Swear your word on it as a man?” Jonas asked.

The Lieutenant smiled.

“Of course.”


	19. XIX

Harley groaned, his back against a cold, solid object. His fingers felt numb but they slid evenly across the smooth surface. Too cold to be plastic or wood. Metal then. He must be sitting on metal. Time flew past him in an infinite loop here. His mind was foggy, constantly wandering from blank nothingness to twilight, so close to being awake but not quite there. This was the most he had been able to wake.

He could barely move, but at least this time he could open his eyes. They felt uncomfortably dry and blurry. His mouth was tacky like his saliva had turned to glue. His stomach cramped with hunger. How long had he been out?

The only comforting thing about the situation was that the lights had been dimmed. Harley wasn’t sure if his dry eyes could stand the onslaught of phosphorescence. Slowly, his numb hands pushed against the metal below him, trying to weakly hoist his body into a sitting position. His body retaliated and the world turned on its side. He flopped hard onto the metal, cringing while he tried to right himself. Already blurred images spun into a vortex of dull colors. Harley tried to retch but nothing came up. He continued to dry heave as he clung to the edge of what most likely a metal table.

His heart sunk. Operating table? He quickly swept up and down his body but felt no punctures, scars, or stitches. He exhaled shakily. Thank God for small miracles. But that didn’t mean it _couldn’t_ happen. If the world would just stop spinning, he could actually assess the situation, get a good look at the room. The metal table felt medical but the room distinctly lacked the odor of medical supplies. Harley had lived in a hospital long enough to recognize it. Even years of abandonment did nothing for the smells of antiseptics and sterility.

Medical or not, this still had the hallmarks of an army facility. The electricity was the first clue. Aside from the most rich and powerful in the world, and of course the military, no one had access to even simple technologies anymore. Not unless they were lucky enough to stumble upon it or cunning enough to steal it. Metal was also a commodity of the wealthy and powerful.

Finally feeling some of the dizziness subside, Harley pushed himself up with one arm ever so slowly. The world came into clearer view but it wasn’t at all what he had been expecting. Harley thought he would be in a cell. Maybe this was but it wasn’t like he had imagined and it certainly wasn’t what the Lowers used. Harley had spent enough time in the brig when he had refused to be recruited into the Lowers’ alchemist ranks. The Northerns were thought of as more civilized – the biggest lie ever told - which really was just a fancy word for _We have more shit than you_. So the fact that he wasn’t in some dingy cell might be quite reasonable.

He swept his hair out of his face, trying to get his bearings back to some degree. He could see whitewashed walls with no windows or adornment. A door was closed on the far side of the room behind him. Harley made no effort to go towards it. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe it was unlocked or unguarded. The right side of him only contained another table. This one looked plastic and had a series of drawers running from top to bottom. Harley felt too weak to get up and go through them. If they contained anything of value, he would have been surprised. The soldiers knocked him out good but there was no way they would leave weapons or valuables on the off chance he woke up – like he was doing now.

The top of the table was clear except for a glass of water. As parched as his throat felt, Harley refused to touch it. It could easily be alcohol, acid, or something worse. He didn’t smell fumes from it but he wasn’t going to risk it.

            Otherwise, the room was very blank, like it was only a room with limited or temporary usage. A bone cracked in Harley’s back and joints as he stretched. Everything hurt from being on the hard surface for much too long. The back of his head felt like someone had pounded a mallet against his skull. He finally decided he should at least stand up. He turned to get off the table. Just as his feet hit the floor, he retracted them up to his chest. He had expected cold, smooth floors. Or even concrete. Grit was still stuck to his toes as he leaned forward to look. The entire area around the metal table was ringed in black spell powder.

            _Oh, Dear God…_ Harley didn’t know the exact spell they had set but it was definitely designed to keep him put. Which he found odd considering the door was surely locked and guarded. So why the extra effort? Harley felt his pocket for his own bag of powder, only to find it empty. Of course they had stripped him of anything useful. He was lucky he still had his clothes. No shoes of course, but they hadn’t bothered to humiliate him more than necessary.

            Without his own spell powder, he had no way of discerning the exact nature of the spell around him. The most likely use for a ring around him was a force field spell, and he could test that without supernatural aid. If he tried to step outside the ring, he would most likely be flung back or shocked. He still felt weak but curiosity and an overwhelming desire to know got him to step back down again, watching his feet this time, and head to the edge of the circle. He only had a good two-foot ring on each side of the table to work with.

Carefully, he raised his hands to hover above the edge of the circle. He was treated to a slight zap on the tips of his fingers, like static electricity. So it was a force field then. If he shoved his whole body through it, it would feel like a trip to the electric chair. Harley grunted in frustration and pushed himself back against the table, using the metal to hold him up as he leaned his extra weight on his haunches.

He tried to rack his brain for anything, any solution to his predicament, but only the distinct roar of fuzz ran through his head. Resigning himself, Harley had only time now to wait for someone to come through that door. Only he wasn’t sure if he was hoping it would be soon or not.

 

 

 

 

*******

 

 

 

 

Jonas sat with his knees to his chest, eyes wide and uncomprehending, while the Lieutenant stared down at him. His cheek was burning from the smack that brought him down to the floor. Jonas had agreed to answer the Lieutenant’s questions but the task was proving more daunting than he had anticipated. At first the questions had seemed simple enough. What was the alchemist’s name? Where did you meet? How did you meet? How old is he? How old are you?

Then the ones he couldn’t answer had started. Jonas had never been so reticent in his life. He had seen and been through enough sexual experiences to answer unflinchingly, yet when it came to Harley, he found he didn’t want to reveal all that they had done. He wasn’t embarrassed. Far from it. He cherished their contact, considered it sacred. And he couldn’t tarnish the importance of their contact to medical terms and drilled questioning. The Lieutenant wanted to know what they did, _how_ they did it. That wasn’t his to know. If the man had had any loving touch in his life, he would know that.

“Why is it yours to know?” Jonas asked defiantly.

“You’re not asking _me_ questions.” he shouted back. He took a moment to gather himself before continuing. Jonas could tell the man wanted to kick him, to punch him, but he was holding himself back. Jonas wasn’t sure for who’s sake that was.

“Answer me this,” he hardened his eyes but his voice came out softer than before. He leaned down and picked up Jonas’s wrist. Jonas tried to jerk it back but the officer held his hand tight.

“What is he to you?”

Jonas wasn’t sure how to answer that. Who was Harley to him? Could he call them friends? The Drawing hadn’t _made_ them like each other but it certainly had become a catalyst for something more. Jonas didn’t know. They straddled an odd place between being acquaintances, having barely known each other, and _lovers_. And that was it. Jonas knew it and it sunk deep into his core. He loved Harley.

The other man looked like he had read his mind. He didn’t press further. Jonas’s body language had told him everything.

“Why does it matter?” Jonas croaked out.

“Your poor alchemist boy never explained a lot of things to you,” the Lieutenant swiped his fingers over Jonas’s hair. It might have been comforting had he not been his enemy. Jonas might have laughed at that statement as well. That was Harley to a T, yanking Jonas along without telling him what would happen.

“Alchemy is an art of passions,” he began. “You can’t work spells without a strong emotion to accompany it. Many alchemists perfect the ability to yearn and pine for excellence and success. But for some spells to work, you need something more – anger, frustration, jubilation, love. For you to have these –“ He pointed to the intricate black swirls on his skin. “For him to complete a Drawing, one of these emotions must be present.”

Jonas didn't have to ask which one. And the thought didn’t comfort him. Love was just one thing they shouldn’t have, couldn’t afford to have. Love was an easy target and could destroy them both.

 


	20. XX

“What now?” Jonas asked. The Lieutenant had left him for a while, letting Jonas cry out his frustrations. He returned when Jonas had reclaimed himself. This time, he came back with the fruit that Jonas kept receiving with his dinner. He handed it to Jonas, still tucked against the wall on his flimsy mattress. Jonas felt like doing anything but eating. But he also knew they could begin to withhold food from him anytime. Withholding food was a popular punishment with any SL-1s who got out of line.

Reluctantly, he took a bite of the crunchy fruit, chewing slowly as the Lieutenant watched him thoughtfully.

“The apples here are good,” the officer remarked about the fruit. Apples. That’s what they were called. Fruit was a scarce commodity amongst regular citizens. Berries were the most common foods for him to find when scavenging. His mother had gathered them any time she came across the succulently sweet berries. The apple was very different from what he had tried before.

The Lieutenant continued to study him while he ate. When there was nothing but a core left, the raven haired man took the remnants away and began to speak.

“Are we ready to trade?” he asked seriously. Jonas watched him with a nervous tick. The Lieutenant had promised to keep Harley safe from harm if Jonas cooperated. Jonas nodded slowly but wondered at his choice of words. _Trade?_

The apple core made a hard rattle as it settled at the bottom of the plastic trash bin. Jonas jumped at the sudden noise, eyes darting to where the man fingered for something from his uniform pocket. Jonas couldn’t see what was palmed in the man’s hands. Whatever it was, he shielded it, touched it like it was the most precious thing in the world, sliding his index finger over it twice before closing his hand protectively around it again.

“I have a spell that needs working,” he began. By this point, Jonas had figured this man to be an alchemist himself. He knew the terminology and processes clearly and professionally. Or maybe he was just really informed.

“And you’re the best equipped for the job. Good line of transference already set,” he drew his fingers along the swirls around Jonas’s arms almost in reverence. “You’ve got someone who is passionate about you. That’s very important. I’m sure you can deliver that passion back in equal measure. And your man has already tangled with a demon. Makes this process even easier for me.”

Jonas stared in shock. He knew about the demonic trade. Jonas hadn’t said anything. However, this man clearly knew where Harley was being kept. Maybe Harley had said something about it.

The Lieutenant opened his palm slowly, revealing a perfectly round pearl. Its surface was flawlessly iridescent with a faint shade of lavender. Jonas might have called it beautiful if he didn’t have an extreme sense of foreboding hanging over him.

“No, wait,” Jonas sputtered as the man began to move toward him with purposeful strides. “You promised if I answered your _questions_. That was it.”

“Yes, I did,” he agreed, shoving Jonas against the white wall. “ _As a man_.”

Jonas’s heart stopped.

“What?” he croaked in disbelief.

“Those were your words, right?”

 _No. No. No. No!_ This couldn’t be happening. The officer looked every bit a man. Jonas’s brain couldn’t ford the confusion.

“You’re a demon?” Jonas hedged, his shoulder screeching in burning pain as he pressed down harder. His feet kicked out but were caught under the man’s weight.

The Lieutenant chuckled.

“Someday maybe,” he responded with a smirk. “We’re not quite there yet.”

Jonas couldn’t form a response. What in the hell was happening?

“I’m so close though. I just need _him_ to gain his human body and then the rest is simple,” he snarled and slammed the hand with the pearl against Jonas’s mouth. Jonas’s lips tightened and tried to refuse the pearl access. The Lieutenant twisted and pinched his arm to make him scream, to open his mouth up. His other hand grabbed for Jonas’s nose, cutting off his air. Before long, Jonas would either pass out or give up and accept his fate. Just as waves of dizziness and another crushing twist about knocked him out, his mouth involuntarily opened, just long enough for the man to stuff the round pearl inside and force him to swallow or choke.

Jonas spat and coughed, tried to retch the pearl back up. The officer slapped him to get him to stop.

“It’s not coming up now,” he explained with a hard edge to his voice.

“What… In the hell,” Jonas panted, holding his raw throat. “Why did… you… do that?”

“Had a feeling you’d finagle out of our deal if I didn’t ensure you took it.” The man wiped his hands on his blue trousers.

“Why?” Jonas asked again.

“I need someone with your unique qualifications to provide a soul for my lover,” the man responded coolly.

 _Lover? Soul?_ Jonas wanted to try to throw up again. The time in the library came shooting back to him.

Hair for beauty.

Teeth for speech.

Blood for vitality.

Bone for structure.

Skin for cover.

_Newborn for soul._

Jonas didn’t need the man to spell out the rest although he couldn’t quite comprehend this man’s plan.

“Why not just find a woman? Wouldn’t that make things easier?” Jonas was still trying to bargain when he knew it was too late.

“Once again, you have unique qualifications. It’s hard to find someone who has been properly Drawn and maintains a passionate link with their Master Connection. You’re not biologically female, yes, but I can arrange what I need.”

“I still don’t understand.” Jonas wanted to weep.

“Let me make it simple,” the man squatted down and took his chin in his fingers. “To survive, a demon needs a soul. You know this. But the more strength the body can provide will ensure the soul doesn’t crack and destroy the demon that resides in it. My demon needs a body. I need a newborn child to do that. Any newborn could work but I want one that is resilient and impenetrable. For that, I need a child born from two people who have been bound through the Drawing. That extra connection and power can make a demon immortal on the human plane.

So as we speak, you’re body is changing. That pearl contains the spell needed to make you able to conceive. The change could shock your body and kill you but I prepared for that. You’ve eaten the apples every night, yes? I made sure they were spelled to make your body receptive to the pearl.”

Now Jonas really wanted to be sick.

“So what now? You’re going to let your men rape me so I’ll conceive?”

“You’re not listening,” the Lieutenant huffed and slapped him on the back of the head. “That’s where you’re little alchemist boy comes in. I’m sure your brain can fill in the rest if your mamma ever told you about the birds and the bees.”

“You promised not to hurt him!” Jonas shouted.

“He won’t be hurt. Let him fuck you enough times so it takes. And then I'll let him go, won’t ever bother him again.”

“And me?”

“Be good. Do as your told. And eventually I’ll give you your freedom.”

“You’ve already broken your word once. I can’t trust anything you say.”

“You don’t have a choice. No one is going to come in here and deal with you. I’ve made it clear that you’re to have no interaction with anyone but me.”

So that was it. Now it was all laid bare for him. Jonas could do nothing about his situation. Whatever the officer willed, Jonas would receive.

And it hurt Jonas fiercely. They had tried to find a solution to slow down this process in the library. They had found no useful information but the combination of being split up and the demon being farther along in his collection of trades than they realized hit home the hardest. This entire situation had always been out of their control. And the real shock was this officer helping the demon from the outside. _Because they’re lovers._ Jonas wanted to scoff at the thought of a demon having a lover. What kind of dupe was this that a demon could convince a person that they could love?

The Lieutenant had clearly run out of patience trying to explain anymore. He stood abruptly and kicked at Jonas’s ankles.

“Be prepared to follow through. I can make this incredibly painful and degrading for you if you resist.”

 


End file.
